One Month of Blogging

I made it through one month of blogging every day! Wow.

It's been an interesting day. Started out on the drive to work this morning when the truck beside me on the interstate blew a front tire. It all happened so fast. I heard the tire pop and saw the rubber fly in my lane. It threw the truck toward me but the driver got control and swerved left into the grassy median in the middle of the interstate. Scary, wow. As the "what ifs" (things that could have happened) ran through my mind, I was thanking God for His protection.

Our truck won't start. These times make me so appreciative of a reliable vehicle. Steve is still working on it and I'm praying God will give him wisdom to know what to do.

Our next door neighbors (in the RV park) had to leave rather suddenly today. We hated to see them go and we are praying God's best for them.

Monday Bullet Blog

• Snow and wind this morning but clear roads for the drive home
• The truck started without having to jump it (diesel and forgot to plug it in last night!)
• Nice three day weekend thanks to the snow storm last Thursday/Friday
• Peace at work today even in the midst of constant interruptions and busyness
• Great service at church yesterday

Facebook

I've never been one to do the "popular" thing. It took me years to create a My Space page and I haven't really kept up with it.

Now Facebook is all the rage. I joined last summer and found a classmate I hadn't been in contact with for more than 30 years. That was fun.

Now I'm joining groups and connecting with people I've known in the past. It is a great way to find people that you've lost contact with.

At the Cross

Blizzard pictures

This is how it looked on my drive home yesterday in the blizzard. No wonder I couldn't see the traffic stopped ahead and had to hit the median to avoid the SUV in front of me! Thanks to the person that posted these pictures on the web. They were definitely caught in the same mess I was!

It's a Blizzard!

Well, the snow really came this time. We've been under a blizzard warning since 3 p.m.

I left work at 1:30 and my normal 15 minute drive took one hour! Wow, it was bad. I really prayed a lot. The scariest part was on a curvy entrance ramp onto the interstate. The visibilty was so bad from blowing snow, I barely saw the SUV in front of me trying to stop. Turns out the car in front of him had hit the median trying to avoid other cars. The only way I could stop was to also hit the median. I was only going about 20 miles an hour so I'm hoping I didn't hurt the front tire.

My commute home is only eight miles but today was one of the most nerve racking trips I've ever driven. The interstate was so icy and cars were just crawling along. The roads and visibility got a little better as I got closer to home.

Thank God I made it home okay and work has already been canceled for tomorrow. :)

Winter Storm Warning

We are under a winter storm warning until 6 p.m. on Friday. Supposedly the snow and wind will start tomorrow and continue into Friday. Our area forecast says 3-8" of the white stuff.

Many times these storms miss us. I really hope we get it this time. We desperately need the moisture.

And it would be great to have a snow day from work!:)

Stress Relief

I've never really liked to exercise. I get started on a plan and then drop off after a few months.

We are very blessed to have a free fitness center at work. I've been taking advantage of it the last few months and really feel better. It's amazing how much stress can be relieved through exercise.

I'm setting some goals for April to increase my intensity and endurance. I also bought a pedometer and plan to start tracking the number of "steps" I take each day.

For me the benefits of exercise are:

1. Stress relief
2. Lowers cholesterol
3. Eliminates back pain
4. Controls weight
5. Builds stronger bones/muscle
6. Keeps my heart healthy
7. Clears the "cobwebs" and I think more clear
8. Better moods and attitude

More on "Simplicity"

Simplicity is the word that swirls around in my brain lately. I want my life to be simple. And how do I accomplish that?

Getting rid of "material stuff" has helped me immensely. The more "stuff" I have, the more time I spend taking care of it all. Letting go of "things" has definitely simplified my life and given me a sense of freedom.

Getting rid of "emotional stuff" has also simplifed my life. When my brain is full and my emotions are racing I can't think straight and my energy is zapped. Letting go of harsh opinions, judgemental thoughts, anger and selfishness has freed me to enjoy life and love other people.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

Wonderful Savior

Happy Spring!

Hard to believe spring arrived yesterday. Actually it felt like spring arrived several weeks ago since we've had 60 and 70 degree weather.

When we moved back to Colorado last year, we thought about the snow and blizzards. They sure haven't shown up this year. It has been a very mild year.

The weatherman is predicting a chance of snow next week and could be one of those freak Colorado blizzards. We shall see!

Friday Bullet Blog

• TGIF and pay day!

• Completely unexpected monetary blessing. Thank you God!

• Carla and Ted arrived safely and found a nice place to live!

• Family dinner and family fun together planned for tomorrow!

• Looking forward to an awesome church service on Sunday

Take Control of Your Money!

Dave Ramsey is coming to town next month and I am so excited! "He is the voice of financial wisdom in today's debt-ridden lifestyle."

Dave says success with money is only 20% head knowledge and 80% behavior. Nothing will help you change your behavior—and poor financial habits—like making yourself accountable.

Are you ready for a financial change? Check out Dave's website here:
Total Money Makeover

The Blog Doctor

A few months ago I decided to make changes/updates to my blog.

While searching for blogging instructions/help, I came across "The Blog Doctor". He has an awesome site that gives step by step instructions for just about every subject to do with blogging.

Click here to visit his site: The Blog Doctor

No More Excuses!

The next time you feel like God can't use you, just remember....

NOAH was a drunk. ABRAHAM was too old.
ISAAC was a dreamer. JACOB was a liar.
LEAH was ugly. JOSEPH was abused.
MOSES had a speech problem. GIDEON was afraid.
SAMSON had long hair, and was a womanizer!
RAHAB was a prostitute.
JEREMIAH & TIMOTHY were too young.
DAVID had an affair and was a murderer.
ELIJAH was suicidal. ISAIAH preached naked.
JONAH ran from God. NAOMI was a widow.
JOB lost it all. JOHN the Baptist ate bugs.
PETER denied Christ.
The DISCIPLES fell asleep while praying.
MARTHA worried about everything.
MARY MAGDALENE was, well, you know....
The SAMARITAN WOMAN was divorced....more than once!
ZACCHEUS was too short.
PAUL was too religious.
and
LAZARUS WAS DEAD!

.....no more excuses now.
God is waiting to use your full potential.

(author unknown)

The "What Ifs"

We've all had them. Thoughts like "What if I lose my job?" "What if our house doesn't sell?" "What if I can't pay my bills this month?" "What if, what if, what if???"

When I start the "what if" game, I immediately lose my peace; worry and doubt creap in and fear overtakes me.

Then I read God's Word and remember He is in control.

Isaiah 40:31 "But those who wait for the Lord (who expect, look for, and hope in Him) shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up (close to God) as eagles (mount up to the sun); they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. (AMP)

Simplicity

Simplicity has been on my mind this year. How can we simplify our life?

I believe humility plays a large part in simplicity. Keeping life simple is not always easy but God gives the grace and the wisdom when we ask for His guidance.

“Keeping up with the Joneses” or trying to be the first one on the block to get something new is a struggle. It makes you feel like you “have” to have something new whether you need it or not! And often this will lead to more debt. It is a vicious circle and many people struggle in this area.

Having an attitude of humility defeats the greedy thoughts and keeps us humble. It takes humility to reevaluate and cut the clutter.

I experienced humility a few years ago when my husband and I decided to live in an RV fulltime. In the beginning, for me, this was not even an option. Thoughts like “how would we ever have enough room for all of our “stuff” in a home that is only 38’ long?” ran through my head. And especially the thought of “what would people think about us?” really bothered me.

As the idea persisted, we prayed and I began to feel more at peace. Through a series of events, Steve and I felt the Lord’s hand in the decision. We’ve lived in our RV almost two years and have definitely simplified our lives. God has shown us that it doesn’t matter where we live, we will have peace and joy just knowing that we are in His will.

Little Bit

We have a little dog named "Little Bit". Our daughter got her 10 years ago from someone sitting in front of Wal-Mart giving away puppies.

Little Bit has a personality all her own. She doesn't like it if Steve and I are in separate rooms. She will run back and forth and bother us until one of us gives up and moves and into the same room!

We laugh all the time about this dog having an alarm clock in her tummy. She knows exactly when it is time to eat and especially when it is time for a treat! And somehow she knows when the weather is in and decides she needs our attention.

Little Bit loves peoople but really dislikes other dogs. We always say she "doesn't play well with others". :)

We love our "little girl" and cherish all the fun times with her.

A Few Random Thoughts

I'm tired tonight so here are a few thoughts in bullet form:

• Snow on the commute to work this morning. Sunny and dry roads on the commute home. (gotta love Colorado weather!)

• Another good week and so thankful for my job, my health and my family.

• Love my church and look forward to Sunday.

• Sleep later tomorrow! :)

• Carla and Ted will be here on Monday. Yay!

Helping People

One day while pumping gas, a man approached me and asked if I could help him. He said his father-in-law was sick and he needed gas money to take his wife to visit (200 miles away).

After I finished at the pump, I took $10 from my purse. When I handed it to him, the man had tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I can't lie to you," he said. "I lost my job and we were just evicted from our apartment. We have no where to go." He motioned to a car where his wife sat.

Compassion rose up inside me. I talked to him a few minutes about job possibilities and a church that might help. He thanked me and walked away.

As I left the parking lot a thought hit me. "You're a sucker...you've been had. That guy probably headed to the nearest liquor store."

Then I thought about my faith and my desire to help hurting people. I am so blessed and $10 certainly wasn't a great sacrifice.

This same scenario has happened to my husband and me numerous times over the years. Sometimes we joke that we must have an X on our foreheads that lead needy people to us! :) We don't ever give large sums of money ($20 was probably the most).

We feel like we give the money with the right intentions. If the recipients spend the money foolishly, then they are accountable to God for their actions.

Have you ever experienced this? And if so, how did you handle it?

Whatever You're Doing

I woke up this morning with this song running through my head.

"Whatever You're doing inside of me. It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace" It's not easy to explain the peace of God but this comes pretty close!




Whatever Your Doing (Inside of Me)
It's time for healing time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
And all I can do is surrender

(Chorus)
Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something Heavenly

Time for a milestone
Time to begin again
Reevaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will
Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything I surrender...
To...

(Chorus)

Time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out
That I've wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but now I can see
This is something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly
Something Heavenly

It's time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out

God Moments

I love to see God work in my life. I call these times "God Moments".

A great example is the time I was searching for a set of keys. I had searched the house. And looked and looked. The keys were no where to be found. After searching for several days, I was about ready to give up. Finally I said a short, simple prayer something like "God, please help me find those keys" and started looking again. As I walked through the office I knocked a stack of pictures and other stuff on the floor. This was the same stack that had been knocked off several days in a row and I was frustrated with my organizational skills. Angrily I bent down to pick the stuff up, once again, and spotted a small green basket with the KEYS in it!

As I journaled about this experience it made me think how God continually tries to get my attention. How many times does He "speak" before I listen? And how many opportunities have I missed because I was not listening?

Lessons Learned While Playing Mexican Train Dominoes

My family plays Mexican Train Dominoes on a regular basis. It is a fun game! At first it was challenging to learn the best strategies. And it was very frustrating to lose game after game. One night after losing once again, I was lamenting my bad luck and had a “God Moment”. Was I was losing because of my bad attitude? At first I rejected the thought. Did it really matter how I acted over a silly game?

The more I pondered the idea, the more I felt the Lord was teaching me about my attitude through this simple game. If losing put me in such a bad frame of mind, how would I react to more important events in my life? I started praying and asking Him to give me the peace to lose gracefully. And you know, He did just that! Though I am still competitive, I can lose and not be mad for the rest of the night. And I seem to have more peace in other areas of my life.

It’s amazing the things you can learn while playing dominoes! And would you believe, after that little "revelation" I even started winning!

Lighthouses

Lighthouses fascinate me. A few years ago I started a collection and friends and family have helped me build it quite significantly. Sometimes when I mention getting a new lighthouse my husband bemoans the fact that our house is being over run by them. But to me there is no such thing as too many!

When I think about a lighthouse I first see the dark angry waves of the stormy sea crashing against the rocks. I see the black ominous clouds and think about the ships that could easily lose their way and think all hope was lost. In the blackest part of the night I then see the first glimpse of the beacon as it shines out many miles and cuts through the darkness of the storm. This light gives the captain of the ship a sense of safety and guides his way. He once again has hope in his heart that he and his crew are safe and all is well.

I love the image of the lighthouse because in my mind and heart Jesus is my Lighthouse. During the dark stormy problems of life I know He is always there to guide me and protect me from crashing into the rocks of despair, discouragement and defeat. When I ask for His direction His “beacon of light” guides me safely through the storms of my life. He is my Rock, my Fortress, my Shield. He is a safe place that I run to in times of trouble.

I remember once hearing a pastor say that we are all in different parts of the “storms of life”. For some the storm is just beginning, some are already in the middle and some are coming out of the storm and starting to see the silver lining. No matter which part of the storm you are in today, I encourage you to let the light of Jesus guide you through and be your Lighthouse.

"I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them along unfamiliar paths. I will make darkness light before them, and make the rough places smooth. These things I will do for them. I will not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth give way, and the mountains be carried into the heart of the sea." Psalm 46:1-2

Snow day/Day Light Saving Time

We knew the perfect 70 degree weather was too good to be true this early in the year! It snowed today....actually two differents times. It was a beautiful snow fall and has already melted. We are not complaining...we really need the moisture!

We move our clocks up an hour tonight and have an extra hour of daylight each evening. I would like to start walking at the greenway and evenings will be perfect as long as the weather is nice.

Hear Us From Heaven

Cutting Back?

Is anyone else cutting back? We've been looking for ways to cut expenses.

In the past few months we've done the following:

• Cut our health insurance costs by canceling Steve from my insurance and signing up under his employer

• Lowered the minutes on our cell phone plan and saved $25 a month (this is a great move….we never, ever used all the minutes on the previous plan)

• Paid off a credit card rather buying presents this past Christmas

• Paid off the NFL Sunday ticket (until next football season!)


To help even more:

Gas prices are dropping (especially diesel)

The recent tax break (as of 3/1/09) adds to our paychecks

31 Years!

It's hard to believe that my honey and I were married 31 years ago today! We look back and realize we had no idea what we were getting into! :)

Here we are 31 years later and by the grace of God we are still happily married. Sure, we've had our share of problems and struggles but God has been faithful and carried us through each situation.

On a side note: We found out recently that the pastor who married us started a new church in town a few years later. That church has now grown to over 7500 people and we have the privilege of worshipping there each week! He no longer pastors there but is still active in the church. We would love to connect with him and let him know we are still married - 31 years later!

**Songs sung at our wedding: "The Wedding Song (There is Love)" and "You Light Up My Life".

Gorgeous Weather!

Is it really March? We've had the most gorgeous weather the last few days. A little windy but in the 70's.

As I took a a quick walk around the building at work this afternoon, I was just amazed at the weather. The sky was so blue and the mountains looked awesome!

The weatherman does say that March can bring some heavy snowfall. Just hope it doesn't happen in May or June!

Beware of Telephone Scams!

It really upsets me that scammers prey off of senior citizens. We've all heard the horror stories of how the elderly have lost thousands of dollars to these lowlifes.

Just recently it really hit home when it was MY PARENTS who received the scam call. The caller indentified himself as their grandson, Chad, and said he was in jail in Canada. He asked them for $3500.

Mom got on the phone and started asking questions. When she said she could only send $100, the caller said forget it and slammed down the phone.

I'm so glad this story has a happy ending. As you've already figured out, Chad was not in jail and not in Canada for that matter. He was very upset when he found out about all this. It's still a mystery to us how someone connected my parents in one state with Chad in another state and knew he was their grandson.

The story of being in Canada in jail must be pretty popular right now. A few days later we read this story online: Telephone Scam

NaBloPoMo

What the heck does that stand for? :)

National Blog Posting Month! It's easy....just post every day during the month of March.

I love challenges and believe this will be the boost I need for blogging.