update

   

   So, I’m back. It’s been entirely to long. I’m not going to write much today, but I plan on spending more time blogging in the near future.

Updates: I am back in college..again. This time to finish up on my Business Admin. Associate Degree. I’m taking two classes online. Accounting 2 and Business Information Systems. The hardest part about these classes?? MAKING MYSELF DO THEM. Did I mention I’m still working full time?? <–cop out? yea, pretty much. There are millions of people who work full time and do school full time. Gotta do what ya gotta do, ya know? In the end I’ll be glad I finished that degree. 🙂

Landon updates: This child…is SO SMART. Let me share a few things with you that he has been saying lately.

One morning before school
Landon:I had a bad dream
Me: Oh you did? What was it about?
Landon: School..*looks at me sad* I can’t go today.
Me: -_- ohhh, yes you can.

 

Yesterday morning
Me: Landon, get your clothes on for school please!
Landon: Yes Ma’am! I can do that I’m a big boy.
This morning
Me: Landon, get dressed for school!
Landon: *whining* I don’t know how…..

Sitting on the coffee table watching TV
Landon:  Momma, this is the best spot ever to watch tv.

 

Eating microwavable “white castle” cheese burgers
Landon: *takes a big bite* THIS IS THE BEST THING I EVER TASTED!
______________________________________________________

 

So, that’s just a little bit of what is going on around here. 🙂
I looove my little boy! Hope you all got a good laugh out of this comedian I am rasing.

til next time…

Should I tell you my story..?

…I am finding it hard to understand. There are times when I am so content, so happy with my life. Times when I don’t care what people say or think.

Today…is different. I have a lot on my mind. I need people to understand what has happened the past few years. I want to tell whoever reads this blog my story. The reasons why…I am stronger. The journey that lead me to become the person I am today.

I’m not sure if I can though…share such personal information.
I’m not sure if I can part with the secrets I’ve been keeping for so long.
I want to be someone people can look up to.
I want people to see me…for who I am. Learn from my mistakes…

So, it’s possible that I’ll share this with you all in the future. I’m not sure who all reads this blog…who of you even care to know the details of my struggle. I think I can make a difference in lives.
I think my story, my life…can be used to inspire others.

My God can take tragedy and make them miracles.

My God can take mistakes and make them lessons.

My God can take my journey, my struggles, my life…and make something beautiful.

My God can do the same for you…

Decision Making

Topic from my Womens Study Bible

Decision Making–Tough Choices

Every person faces decisions with immediate and long-term consequences. For the Christian woman, wise decisions can be made with the confidence that God directs her every step as she seeks His will in prayer, Bible study, and listening to the Holy Spirit, the divine Counselor.

 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26
“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” John 15:26

While Scripture offers precise guidance for many issues in our daily lives, the Bible appears silent on others.

In all cases, you can benefit from the principles Paul offered to the first-century Corinthian believers who were facing the moral dilemma of eating meat sacrificed to idols:

1) Will the course considered lead a fellow Christian to sin by your example?
“Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” 1 Corinthians 8:13

   2) Will the action provide strength and encouragement to your own life?
“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”
1 Corinthians 6:12
“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.” 1 Corinthians 10:23

3) Will the action ultimately glorify God?
” Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

These same questions are appropriate for your prayerful consideration in every decision you make.

________________________________________________________________________________________

I believe that this topic post can go along with my post “..it’s a choice”

Decision making is hard…especially in these days. No one ever stops  to think about the consequences of their actions. I’m here today to say that…every single thing that you do has a consequence. It could be good consequences or it could be bad consequences.

I’ve learned that GOD alone…can take these consequences and turn them into something beautiful!

Next time you are trying to decide what to do/how to handle a situation…ask yourself those questions.
Hopefully you and I can make better choices…better decisions..that will ultimately Glorify God..and God alone.

..what a day

It’s 12:17 on Thursday afternoon and this has been -BY FAR- one of the worst day’s I’ve had in a while.

Honestly, I have done NOTHING but complain today.
“Me and Landon woke up late. Someone blocked my car in at Landon’s school this morning. My shoes don’t fit right because I put them in the dryer last night. This job is stressing me out. …”  blah blah blah.
I have went on and on and on this morning…until..well…

I realized it could be worse.

Ya know, instead of complaing about my crazy morning. I need to stop and be Thankful..
I am Thankful that Landon and I woke up this morning to a beautiful day.
I am Thankful that I have a car to drive..and that Landon has a school to go to.
I am Thankful that I have shoes to put on my feet.
I am Thankful that I have a job.

What good does complaining do anyway?

There are people out there who have little to nothing…and are still thankful. I could learn from these people…

So, to all of you out there that complain alot..or that are having a bad day…stop real fast and think..

I’m sure you’ll realize that you’re problems aren’t as bad as they could be…Be Thankful that you are ABLE to even have problems!! THEN give those problems to our One and ONLY True God.
HE and ONLY HE can help you…and HE is waiting, arms open wide, for you to ask for HIS help.

That’s it for now…I’m going to enjoy the rest of my day!

Be Thankful!!!

Psalm 46

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth will be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling.

 4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.

 5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has made desolations in the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.

10 Be still, and know I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

11 The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.

                                                                                                                                                                                         Selah

–I love this passage…”Be still..”
It’s hard to listen for God’s voice…but, if we all just took a minute to “Be still…” …to Be quiet.. we might acutally learn something…

Children

Hey guys…it’s been a long time since I have written anything! I’m wanting to continue with using inserts from my Women’s Study Bible as blog topics. I’ve had a pretty heavy heart lately. . .I’m struggling with what God expects from me as a parent. Even more…what God expects from me as a “single” parent. I looked up the topic in my bible and TADA…there it was : “Children <Only One Parent In The House>
Enjoy…

God has a special place in His heart for mothers and their children. Throughout Scripture He insists they be defended and given appropriate care.
*”Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.” Isaiah 1:17 
*”If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.” 1 Tim. 5:16

Children tend to mirror the behavior and “defend” the parent with whom they live, whether single parenting is the result of widowhood, divorece, or a prolonged separation (as in the care of women whose husbands are away for long periods owing to war or business travel). Where children have a parent modeling trust in the Lord and attentiveness to God’s Word, the bond between parent and child can be very strong.
*”But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God”. 1 Tim. 5:4.

God is aware of the awesome responsibilty a single parent faces, and Heis more than able to meet all the needs of the child and parent–even employing what may seem to be miraculous means.
Single parents are encouraged to:

1. Spend time in the Word each day to receive the divine direction needed, especially during stress-filled times.
*”Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.” Ps. 119:11

2. Schedule regular times for family worship, recreation, and communication.
*” For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children; That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children.” Ps. 78:5,6

3. Be consistant in church attendance and active in service so that both parent and child can be nurtured spiritually and emotionally though fellowship with other believers.
*”…not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Heb. 10:25

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Obsessions

    
     So, it has been forever since I’ve written. I know, completely unexceptable. Before I get started on this topic, I’d like to explain what I plan to do with this blog in the future.
My parents gave me a Women’s Study Bible for my birthday last month…and can I just say…best gift ever. I love it. All throughout this Bible there are inserts about different Women of the Bible, inserts of different topics, maps, and charts. It really give me a better understanding of what I am reading. So, my plan is to use these inserts as blogs for a while! Very good, encouraging, and helpful stuff here.
so, here it goes. ..

OBSESSIONS-Invading The Mind

    An obsession is an idea, usually charged with emotion, that repetitively and insistently invades the consciousness even if unwelcome. When these ideas are manifested in behavior patterns, they are called compulsions.
    Obsessions often indicate serious underlying difficulties. They are pervasive and become problematic when they interfere substantially with the ability to think rationally. Obsessions are usually short-lived and can be minimized or negated by diverting you attention. They usually occur in one of the following ways:

1) Impulsive Obsessions – ideas that lead to actions which are repetitive and can be destructive <The persecution of Christians by Saul of Tarsus
Acts 8:3, “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.”     
 Galations 1:13, “For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.”

2)Inhibiting Obsessions – doubts about actions <The actions and reactions of King David in his lust for Bathsheba
2 Samuel 11:1-17 says…
 It happened in the spring of the year, at the ttime when kings go out to battle, that tDavid sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged tRabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.2 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed tand walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he tsaw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “ Is this not tBathsheba, the daughter of tEliam, the wife tof Uriah the tHittite?”4 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and the lay with her, for she was tcleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house.5 And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”
6 Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David.7 When Uriah had come to him, David asked how Joab was doing, and how the people were doing, and how the war prospered.8 And David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and twash your feet.” So Uriah departed from the king’s house, and a gift of food from the king followed him.9 But Uriah slept at the tdoor of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.10 So when they told David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”
11 And Uriah said to David, t“The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and tmy lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.”12 Then David said to Uriah, “Wait here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next.13 Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him tdrunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed twith the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.
14 In the morning it happened that David twrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the thottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may tbe struck down and die.”16 So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men.17 Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

 3)Intellectual Obsessions – questions about the purpose of life or ultimate destiny <the thought provoking encounter of the rich young ruler with Jesus
Matthew 19:16-22 says…
16 tNow behold, one came and said to Him, t“Good tTeacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”17 So He said to him, t“Why do you call Me good? tNo one is tgood but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, tkeep the commandments.”18 He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, t“ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’
19 t ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, t ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have tkept tfrom my youth. What do I still lack?”21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, tgo, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

    Ultimately, only the Lord Jesus can remove the anxieties and worries that accompany obsessive behavior. He has challenged believers to trust Him with their cares.
1 Peter 5:7, “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”
   
    Being free of obsessions is part of experiencing “the mind of Christ,” which is available to all believers.
1 Cor. 2:16, “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

How can we walk with the Spirit and “live” in this world…

Years ago my pastor, Bro. Bobby George, preached a sermon on Galations 5. For some reason…I’ve always remembered this message. I’ve recently been reading and studying Galations 5&6. I’m going to put a portion of it here…

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led to the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, wish are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have told you in time past, that they which do such things shall no inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”
Galations 5:16-26

This passage has always ‘hit home’ with me. I can remeber when I was younger and I was being “rebelious”, in the back of my mind I would always seem to hear the words…”how can you walk in the Spirit and live in the world”.

Meaning to me…How can I be a Child of God and still be doing worldly things, unGodly things. Was I a child of God? Yes, I was..and I am…but at that time I was “living” in this world. I wasn’t walking with the Spirit. I was marching to the beat of my own drum..that set me down a path of near destruction.

Let’s look back at the passage Galations 5 starting in verse 19.

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, wish are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have told you in time past, that they which do such things shall no inherit the kingdom of God”

Think about that phrase..”the works of the flesh..” meaning to me…the works of something unGodly..not Christ like. Sins that will keep you from becoming who you are intended to be in Christ.

I’ve said this a lot but I’ll say it again. I am SO thankful that the One and Only True God…is a Forgiving God. HE and ONLY HE is able to forgive you of those sins and lead you to become a new person in HIM.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

To me, right here…Christ clearly lays out for you the fruits of the Spirit. These things are not going to get you into trouble. They aren’t going to lead you down the wrong path. These are the things..the Fruits of the Spirit..This is how you walk in the Spirit.

Isn’t it amazing how the Bible is basically a big list of Do’s and Don’ts? A list of instructions for us to live by. The Word of GOD..not of man..but of GOD. How amazing is that? Pretty stinkin amazing if you ask me!

I really didn’t have much to say today..just wanted to share that with whoever out there reads my blog!!
…remind yourself when you think you may not be doing something that Glorifies God..
Am I walking in the Spirit? or am I living in this world.

We could ALL use a lesson in how to better Glorify God…

..me and sally

    
     I’ve had alot on my mind lately. It’s very hard to put into words… I’m longing to be the woman God created me to be. I wonder …what’s my pupose? What’s God’s plan? What’s the bigger picture? I know it’s in God’s hands..but I have to stop worrying and let it go..and give it to God. Let Him show me the way instead of trying to find it myself. So many times…we forget that the Lord places these steps in front of us and we choose to take our own path. Someone told me once…” you wanna make God laugh…make your own plan.”   I understand this more every day.

     I have very recently reconnected with a friend of mine. For the sake of privacy…we’ll call her…Sally. 
Sally and I were very close growing up. One of our dearest memories from childhood is when we were playing the Nintendo…and of course, fighting over it…one of us pulled the others hair..and the other slapped the others face..HAHA. Follow me? So…that kind of set the tone for our friendship as it grew. As teenagers we became closer…then we pretty much did everything together. Sleepovers, movies, bowling, “sneakin” <as we called it>, flocking, forking…you name it..we did it. We had this group of friends that were all very different. Sally and I understood each other …most of the time. She was my best friend 🙂

      Then it happened…graduation. Was this the beginning of our “drifting apart”..no. It started a little before that when I made decisions that…were not exactly agreed on. BUT…graduation did pull us apart..as it does many people. A little after graduation..Sally started a family 🙂   I moved off for school…so our worlds were completely different. We stayed in touch some..but not much. Slowly, we began to lead our own lives. 

     Then..of course, I got pregnant…and guess who was there for me? Sally. She allowed me to move in with her and her family for about 3 months while I was pregnant. Boy..was I EVER THANKFUL! …did I show it as much as I should have…No. Ironically durning this time when I was living with them..I don’t know if our friendship progressed any at all. It was there…but it was a little forced on both sides. 

    So, after about three months there…I moved out and into my own apartment…still pregnant at this time. So I had Landon and everything. Things seemed good.  Now..I’m not going to go into detail here…for the sake of re-living the past. Bad choices were made. Our friendship was demolished. We were no longer best friends…but a soul full of despise..and a heart full of regret.
The End. ..or so I thought.

…jump forward about a year and a half..I think. I had moved back to this town. Saw Sally every now and then and missed the friendship terribly. So one day I got up the courage and Facebooked Sally…and after a few messages back and forth…
Yesterday ..I took Landon over to her house to play with the kids..and caught up with an old friend. 🙂 It was great. It felt right..and good..and like it was time.

Why am I blogging this? I don’t really know. I think because I am a completely different person that I was two years ago. ..and It’s only by the Grace of God that I am. I am so thankful..to be given an opportunity to let the past go..and open up to a new friendship.
Mistakes…can be overcome with CHRIST. Relationships can be restored with CHRIST.  
I’m thankful for the opportunity to have..what I hope to be a strong friendship..back in my life. 

Think about this…
How many things in your life could be changed, overcame, restored..if you had Christ…or if you allowed Christ to lead in your life???  

 What a Mighty God we serve. .. go ahead..smile about it. 🙂

.

…check this out

It has been a while since I posted. I having a busy not so good week. I am working on a post right now..I’ll try to have it up in a few days…

IN THE MEANTIME….check out this remix that my very talented brother did for Church Camp. It’s a remix of Black and Yellow…now titled “Reppin’ Jesus”

It’s AAAmazing…and I don’t say that just because he is my brother.

ENJOY!!! Follow him on twitter @adam12music
<believe me…this man is goin places>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7vUTJt9Q5A