Thankful Thursday

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
~Colossians 3:15-16

Is it Thursday already? I've been so busy looking for a job that I have neglected to come and post this week.

So what are you thankful for this week? My list is long, here are a few of them:

I am a child of the Living God. I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour. My God loves me (and you) enough to allow me (and you) to come to Him through His son, Jesus. What joy I have in my life because of this. His love, mercy, and grace, fill my soul with joy each day. I remember when I first "really got that"....my first comment was "How can you not be excited about the love Jehovah has for each and every one of us? Doesn't it make you want to sing and dance?" Kind of like David when he danced as the Ark of the Lord was brought into the city. (2 Samuel 6)

I am thankful that I belong to such a loving, caring church. Our family is very small. But each person is filled with love and care for others. Each person has been praying for me for the past week. Each has encouraged me for the past week. Having no one else in town except my hubby and his children, they have replaced my biological family. I can count on each and every person no matter my need, and they can rely on me as well.
~Romans 1:12~
I'm eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.

I am thankful that the Lord brought such a loving, caring man into my life. I know I've said this before, but I still thank the Lord every day for my husband, after eight years it is still a blessing to have someone who truly loves me, cares for me, and encourages me. I can't tell you the difference this makes in my life. Having been on the true opposite side of this type of life, I pray I never forget how truly blessed I am.

Last (for this blog) is I'm thankful that my Lord has provided for us! I have been offered a new job, beginning next Friday, November 7. That day will be an orientation day, and I will begin work the following Monday,November 10. Of course the pay is low, but you cannot expect to walk into another job making what it took you six years to get at another. It's full time work and it's permanent. (providing I make it the full 120 day probation.) Fairly easy. Answering incoming calls at a local call center. I believe it's mostly answering questions about products and taking orders. Pretty much up my alley. I've done the call center thing before - (1) for a government insurance company (2) a hotel reservation center. Hubby is excited because there won't be anymore lifting, stooping, and bending. Less stress on my neck/back. (for those that don't know, I have two herniated discs) I'm just excited because I have a job.

Pop on over to Iris' spot and see what others are saying:

Monday

Today I had an interview for what I thought was a position in the pharmacy for a discount store. My entire experience answers the question "What ever happened to customer service?" I walked into the store ten minutes early for my appointment, stopped at the customer service desk (where I was told to "announce myself", only to hear "she's not holding any more interviews". I just repeated my name and time I was to meet with personnel. The employee then sighed loudly and picked up the phone. I over hear "yes, I know, but she insists she has an appointment". I'm finally told to wait near the desk and they will call me when "she's ready". Ten minutes later, I'm finally allowed to walk back to the personnel office.

Still with me? Keep in mind, I have many, many years in customer service. I'm am not only picky about the service I give, I'm picky about the service I receive. So, needless to say, I'm a little frustrated. Once in the personnel office, it still takes HR two minute to find my application, then I'm asked the same question three times. Then, come to find out, the position I'm applying for has already been filled. Ugh! More questions, two of which are repeated, and then a total of three telephone interruptions later, I'm told the only thing left is a part time cashier position. Okay, I need a job, I can do that and still look for something else. Now, I still have to call them back on Wednesday to see if they can fit me into an orientation class. This, my friends, is why there is no customer service. Even the top dogs do not know what the true meaning is.

I'm a little disappointed today. There really is not much available in this town. At least right now the stores are beginning to hire for the Christmas season. Even if it's temporary, I should be able to find something in the larger stores. I also have an interview set up this Friday for an in-bound call center. Not a dream job, but steady work with average pay. I also have two leads for tomorrow morning. All is not lost, the Lord is in control!

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

~Jeremiah 29:11

I'll Praise You in This Storm

Today I'm going to share the lyrics to the Casting Crown's song "I'll praise You in this Storm". If you've read my blog, you know this is my absolute favorite group. This song has been my theme song for the past month or so. We've had a few storms, but my Lord is always there! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.


Praise You in This Storm
words by Mark Hall/music by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms

I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

Chorus

I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

Chorus

Note the words "I'm with you" in the verses. This is what I hold onto. My Lord is always with me, and you as well. No matter the storm in our life, HE is there!!!

Thankful Thursday

What are you thankful for this week? As strange as this is going to sound: I'm thankful that I was terminated from my job. (I told you it would sound strange!)
I'm really serious here. Don't get me wrong, being fired downright stinks! Especially when you know you are innocent of what they say you did. However, this has made me move out of my box. (big time) When this situation was first voiced, I began to pray for God's will. This was new for me. In the past, I would begged God to fix this and restore my position. I simply stated, "Lord You know what is best. Your will, not mine, be done." Obviously, He does not need me where I was anymore. I'm seeing a little more growth in myself and the voicing my faith, my prayers. While I'm still a little nervous about the unknown, I find myself clinging to Lord for strength and boldness. That part, I'm very thankful for!

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

AMEN!

Praise and Coffee Tuesday

After spending my afternoon updating my address book with the information I will need to start job hunting, I finally remembered to jump over to Praise and Coffee for Tuesday's meme. Today we need to pray for the women married to non believers or to one who is backslidden. I want to share a small amount of "our story".

I met my husband on the Internet. (as soon as you are done gasping, I'll continue... ; )

We talked online for some time before we talked on the phone, and, finally, met in person. One of the questions I waited to ask him in person was "Do you believe in God? Do you have a relationship with him?" He said yes to both. : ) This was true, to a point. Now, my walk was shaky, as I was just coming back after a long bend in the road. The one thing my husband hid from me (well) before we got married was how much he drank. (I believe he hid this because I had already stated how much I disliked alcohol because my father is an alcoholic, as is my ex) Anyway, this became very apparent after we married. Of course, then it was too late. I'm married, and I meant every word of my vows. So, after "meeting" some wonderful friends at a website for Christian Wives, I learned about a book called "The Power of A Praying Wife". I believe that reading this book, which taught me how to pray for myself, my husband, and my marriage, kept me going for the first five years of my marriage.

Today, I'm proud to say my husband hasn't had anything to drink in over three years. He willingly serves at our church, and is taking classes to become (we hope and pray) licensed and then ordained. I'm beyond proud of him and look up to him for all he has (and will continue to) accomplish.

Lord, I come to you today to thank You not only for Your love, grace, and mercy. I thank You for giving me such a wonderful husband and a very blessed marriage. I lift up each and every spouse that is living with a nonbeliever or one who has become backslidden. We know it is your will that each and every person come to You and accept Your gift of salvation. May these spouses be the witness for You. Soften the hearts and minds of their loved ones to accept Your message. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.

It's official

Well, it took them over three hours today, but they did terminate me. Part of me is relieved. Part of me is very angry...I called the "bigwig" Monday and asked this be taken care of one way or the other then. Her response to that when I asked today: "It didn't fit into my schedule." Really? So sorry to inconvenience you! So, instead, I was allowed to fret for three and half days. I also worked three and a half hours today before they bothered to tell me I was being terminated.

So, anyway, my time is up with this company, and the Lord has opened a new door. Where will that door lead? Only HE knows right now. I have filed my claim for unemployment. I'm getting my references together. Tomorrow, I hit the streets. I've had my crying fit, and Lord love my husband, he held me through the whole thing. Now it's time to take control and find out what is in store for us.

The anger will subside. The company will go on. I worry about the special needs employees there, but all I can do now is pray, and I will. For my praying friends, please pray that they bring in someone who will treat Eric and Shawn with the respect they deserve.

Waiting is so hard!

Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!
~Psalm 27:14


I've been trying to be calm and wait on the Lord since Friday, October 17. The security of my job is at stake. I have been accused of allowing (at least) one employee to steal from the store. I know I'm not guilty, the Lord knows I'm not guilty. However, that doesn't help my case. So, I keep trying to leave my fears at the cross. Like Job, I continue to cry out " Why me?" "Why am I being tested this way?" And, like Job, I know I'm not guilty. I have one more thing in common: I know no matter what happens, God will take care of me. If He is telling me my time is up with this company, He has something else for me. I know this.

So why do I still continue to worry? My human side is worried about finances. In these times, things are tight. But, what bothers me more than anything else is that someone actually accused me of this, and believes it. I've worked for this company for six years. I've worked hard, I've gone above and beyond. Yes, I've made mistakes, whom among us has not? But to allow anyone to steal? Please, if someone needed something that bad, I would pay for it myself.

Today I started reading "The Bible Jesus Read" by Philip Yancey. I have to say, it really has helped me keep my mind off the situation. I do like the way Mr Yancey reminds that that the book of Job is about faith. Not pain, suffering or patience, FAITH. This has given me great encouragement today, so I want to say, Thank you Mr Yancey for this wonderful book, and thank You Lord, for bringing to my mind today. By keeping my mind occupied, I have keep the enemy from invading my thoughts throughout the day.
Hallelu Yah!!!

I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
~Psalm 91:2

I love my honey!

While reading Denise's blog today I was touched by the idea of showing love for our husband and sharing the story with others. In today's world (secular) there is so much spouse bashing or just gender bashing in general. It's so sad. Many years ago I joined an email group for mother's of teenagers. (keep in mind that my boys are now 22 and 25 and at the time they were 12 and 14-you do the math) Anyway, a forward went out in our group that said some unkind things about men. I was, well, perturbed by it, and I wasn't even married at the time. Immediately one of the ladies in the group stated that she was offended by it and would like to be kept off any future emails that bashed either gender. (Way to go Diane!!)

Anyway, I want to take this time to share about my wonderful husband. I took a vacation day today so I could go to karaoke night at church. It also ended up that my step-daughter, Char, came over today as well. (this is always a blessing. she will be 15 soon, and has a busy life, so we love it when she can "squeeze us in") So Char and I went with Eddie this morning to clean the church, which he loves, because I do the things he dislikes the most--clean the bathrooms, mop, wipe down the tables and kitchen. Char and I also wandered together so Eddie could shop leisurely at Hobby Lobby looking for ideas and stuff to make us a new Christmas Village. He was able to take his time instead of worrying that I was getting bored. (like I could get bored at Hobby Lobby, really!) Char and I took Eddie to dinner at Carlos O'Kelley's, his favorite restaurant and then headed to church for Karaoke night. Now, I don't get up there and sing, trust me, no one wants that. (I love to sing, but can't hold a tune for anything!) But, Char did bless him by getting up there and singing a song with him. All in all, I think he had a wonderful day!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for bringing Eddie into my life. May my words be gentle and my acts of kindness many. Do a work in me to be the wife I know he deserves. I thank You for giving me such a loving, kind, God-fearing husband in this time of my life. May we both please you each and every day. Amen.

Thankful Thursday

Today's theme is Joy, so I'm beginning with this verse:


And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD;
It shall rejoice in His salvation.
~Psalm 35:9

• As I always begin my prayers: I'm am thankful and joyful for my salvation through Jesus Christ. He gives me strength beyond measure.
  
• I am thankful that the Lord brought my husband, Eddie, into my life. I have so much more joy with him as my partner.
• I am thankful for the children that come to church. It fills my heart with joy to teach them about the love Jesus has for all of us.
• I am thankful and full of joy that my oldest son will be 25 this sunday. Both of my children fill me with joy just thinking of them.

• I am thankful that I was able to get a couple of days off this weekend. I will be filled with joy when I'm able to see my boys and my mom face to face again!

Christian response versus Reaction

Tonight at Bible study we began the book of James. (I love this book!) As you probably know, in the first few verses, James begins to talk about tests or trials. This brought up the question - "How do you respond when something unexpected happens? Yell, scream, and blame God, or step back, stop, and try to see what is happening?

Sadly, the latter is not my first response often enough. Controlling my emotions is still one area I struggle. (my poor husband can attest to this) Yet, when I look back each time, I see my Father holding me through the tough times. Read Deuteronomy 4:30-31 and you will know this is true. James tells us to have joy during trials. I don't believe this means to jump up and down, shouting "Halllelu Yah!" I believe that joy in this case means a lack of bitterness towards the situation. However, if you are able to jump and shout, more power to you, for you are much stronger than I.

My most recent trial concerned my mother and her safety. Due to the distance between us, I had no choice but to leave this in God's hands. I admit it was hard. I wanted to jump in my car and drive down to her house right away. Instead I cried and pleaded with God to protect her. My Lord is faithful and she is okay now. Hallelu Yah!

I read this article at Apples of Gold earlier, which is where I found the verse in Deuteronomy. Check it out, not only is the article good, but I enjoy the site itself.

I'll end in the book I started with:
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
`
James 1:5

A definte hit!

The homemade nutrigrain bars were a big hit! Eddie and I sliced into them and topped them with vanilla ice cream. Very yummy! If you would like to try them, I found the recipe here.

If you do try them, drop me a line and let me know what you think. : )
And remember, you can substitute any flavor preserves you like.

Tired...

I'm really tired tonight. Not a real busy day at work. I was able to finish cleaning out a large section of the processing area today and begin organizing the Christmas items we had stored in one of the overflow areas. I'm still sorting them according to "section" (media, clothing, decoration, etc) This, of course, is between listening to petty whining about whatever is the gripe of the day. Some days I think it would be easier to teach kindergarten then deal with these children. (of which four are older than myself)

I had hoped to go out to the cemetery tonight and check on Cole's grave and then take a walk, but the rain sent me straight home. Maybe tomorrow will be dry. So, instead, I came home and baked some homemade "nutrigrain" bars. I haven't tasted them yet, but they smell wonderful! I used boysenberry preserves for the fruit, so I expect them to be very yummy. : ) I do know next time I will need to use a little more butter for the crust, it didn't stick together very well for the top crust.

Tonight I'm going back to my room to study the book of Romans, chapter 2. But, first I still have to gather the trash before Eddie gets home and clean the bathroom. (these are my monday night "chores". If I don't schedule myself, I forget and things don't get done)

I'm also doing a study on Psalm 31. Here is one of my favorite verses from that chapter:

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

Amen!

Psalm Friday

Instructions from By His Grace:
* Pray. Ask God to give you an open heart and mind to learn new truths from His Word. Read Psalm 23 through three times. Record any thoughts or questions you have in your journal. If a verse stands out to you, write it on an index card and begin committing it to memory.

I'm concentrating on the first half of verse 2:
“He makes me to lie down in green pastures"

When I think for lying down in a green pasture, I picture contentment and relaxation. Our Lord wants us to be content and relaxed, not hurried and frantic. Unfortunately, the later seems to be more common in today's society. Everyone is busy, rushing here and there, working too hard, trying to reach the American dream, keep up with the Jones', or just be busy. We often forget that the things in this world are temporary. We cannot take any of it with us when we go. Besides, are we not called to be set apart from the world? ( One example Romans 12:2 )

I feel that we need to learn to be content with what we have, what we need. By filling our minds and hearts with the Living Word we can fight the temptations of "wanting it all". The Peace of God does amazing things for those that choose to ask for and accept it. Relaxation is another important factor. (One must be contest before they can relax) How do you relax? I personally enjoy reading and listening to contemporary christian music. Sometimes I play online, but tend to get bored easily and sitting at my computer for an extended amount of time tends to make my back and neck hurt. (herniated discs)My favorite though, is sitting on the couch with my sweetie watching an old movie together. (Casablanca a favorite).

I apologize, this post seems choppy to me. I had a beautiful one started before I left for work, and placed a copy in my word pad, but I forgot to save it. (another ADD moment!) Anyway, I hope it makes sense and helps you think a little about taking time to relax with Jesus today.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ~ 1 Timothy 6:6-7

Thankful Thursday

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name”
~ Psalm 100:4 (NIV)

• I am thankful that Eddie and I settled our disagreement last night before falling asleep.
• I am thankful that we were able to get the brakes fixed on his car, and the Lord provided the money to do so.
• I thank You, Jesus, for bringing Eddie into my life, for giving me such a wonderful, loving, caring, God fearing man to share my life with.
• I am thankful for the many friends I have found on the internet that share my beliefs. I can laugh with, cry with, and praise Jesus with.
• I am so thankful to my Lord for His Grace. I will never be able to repay this gift, but I graciously accept it and pray I honor Him in all I do and say.

What are you grateful for today?

Edit: My button did not work in the post. The link should be:
Thankful Thursday

Random thoughts

I'm a little bit more ADD today than usual. My thoughts continue to run through my head at a rapid pace. One thought in particular comes over and over again: "Why do I feel so distant from You, my Lord, this week?"

Distance can be several things-Am I distancing myself due to some sin (know or unknown)? Am I too busy to stop and listen? Am I being tested? What can it be?

I know today I've been too "busy" to stop and listen. This is a common mistake, and I wish I knew why I keep doing it. I think I have to run, run, run or search, search, search. (rolling my eyes now) One of my favorite Bible passages is Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Yet I have so many days like today, where I forget this very passage. If I cannot take time to stop and talk with my Lord, Jesus, how can I expect Him to help me through these things? I need His strength to accomplish my needs.

During times of distance one can begin to wonder if Jesus really is with us. (yes, we know He is deep down, but don't forget that we are also humans, and the enemy loves to put doubt in our minds) During those times I try to remember Matthew 28:20 "... And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

I'm still having a hard time putting my thoughts together, so this is a good time to stop and pull out my Bible. Reading Psalms and Proverbs always helps me at times like these. I pray we all have a better, more rested, and more focused day tomorrow.

You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. Acts 10:36

Provberbs 31 Woman

How many of us women have been told about the "Proverbs 31 Woman"? But, has anyone actually every explained it? I know I've read the passages many times, but never really studied what it truly meant. Therefore, when I ran across this study today, my heart soared! I'm looking forward to digging into it tomorrow night. If you wish to do this study as well, you can find it here:
In Pursuit of Proverbs 31

Amy asked that we post and answer these questions, so here goes:


What do you hope to get out of this bible study?
Understanding of this passage and the insights God has for me concerning this passage.


What, if anything, has prevented you from studying these scriptures in the past?
This passage has always reminded me of a "superwoman". Something that I just could not attain in my lifetime.

What have you found helpful or frustrating about living out these scriptures?
Frustrating- There's just no way I can do all that, especially with my schedule.

Very blessed

Yesterday started out to be "another one of those days". I was scheduled to go into work at noon, so Eddie and I stayed up late friday night. (since he doesn't get home until 11:30 pm each night, our idea of late is 1:00 am.) I received a phone call at 6:30 saturday morning--the opening manager was sick and the general manager could not be reached by the phone. Ugh! I am not a morning person at all, much less after five hours of sleep. However, this turned into a real blessing. What started out to be a very long day ( 8 am to 8:30 pm) turned out to be a "normal" day. The manager's wife came in to shop, one of the cashiers told her what happened, and the manager called and then came in to close the store. This enabled me to go with Eddie to help clean the church after a wedding and spend some time with him that evening.

This morning I was able to take care of baby J while his mom ran the PowerPoint for worship. There is little else that compares to the joy of holding a new baby and nurturing them, even for a short time. Also add that our newest edition baby girl M made her arrival this past thursday. She, mom and dad where there this morning. She is so beautiful! Grandma J is our worship leader, so she is glowing with happiness.

Tonight I actually cooked dinner. (now pick yourself up off the floor and stop laughing) I have a very simple, but good, recipe that I will share at the end. We have the worship leader over for dinner on sunday nights while she is mentoring Eddie in one of his Ministerial classes. So, I feel blessed to have helped take some pressure off my husband by cooking a meal and share it with a good friend. I also get to sit here on my computer and listen to the lessons they are doing, so I learn a little at the same time. One of my favorite saying:

God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.

Chicken and rice recipe:

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup (or cream of celery if you prefer)
1 soup can of water
1 soup can of minute rice
cooked chicken breast (either 2 small cans or 1 breast per two people)

Mix all ingredients in saucepan, cooking on med high until it comes to a boil. Lower heat to med and simmer for five minutes.

From here you can serve with a vegetable or whatever you choose.

Tonight I put the mixture in a baking dish, topped with shredded Velveeta cheese and bakes until the cheese was brown. I also top with french onions.

The size of soup cans to be used varies on how much you want to make. I use family size cans, which makes enough for six to eight.

Let me know if you try this and if you like it, of if you already make it.

I've been MIA

Well, I've been MIA for a few days. I've been spending my free time surfing the web looking for ideas on getting our home organized as well as just general tips on homemaking itself. You would think that at my age, I would have this stuff down. Guess again! Honestly, my first marriage was anything but God-Centered. Then you have the decade I spent raising the boys myself. I spent most of that time eking out an existence and trying to keep my sanity while dealing with my boys' disabilities. The Lord finally got my full attention March 31, 1999. A year and a half later, he brought Eddie into my life, and, well, the rest is history. (guess I should type out my testimony at some point)

Anyway, here I am, in my late forties and just starting to embrace making a home. It really does make a difference when you have someone whom you love, and loves you right back. Not to mention putting God first in our lives. I've always been a stubborn child, doing things my way, and when I want. It's a wonder God hasn't given up on me. Isn't that the most awesome thing? As a mother, I know what it's like to love my children, to watch them grow, fall, and pick themselves up again. Nothing I feel comes close the the love the Lord has for us. No matter how many times I fall, or do my things my way, HE is always there to catch my tears, to embrace me, pick me up, or smile with me. What a precious gift He gives us.

This verse comes to mind today for some reason. I guess it makes sense, each person has a season, and I have found mine:

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”
-Ecclesiastes 3:1