It seems like just yesterday I was looking forward to the fall. I really do love the fall. I drive past the trees that still have leaves on them, trying to soak up what last bit of the season there is left.
The sun is starting to set when I head to work, and is down before I go to dinner now. Too weird... its way too cold outside and this weekend the forecast is for s... n... o... w...
John Lennon said "life is what happens when you are busy making other plans" and I feel like life has just been slipping by. I wait for too much, and barely get to enjoy enough. Not to mention all of my friends which I don't get in contact with for long stretches of time...
Sometimes I have to remember that life is what you make of it, and quit waiting for stuff, because stuff takes time. Monday is far enough away, none the less the day when the check will finally come... Time is what life is. Life is not for waiting, but for enjoying.
So I guess it is good when I admire the last few leaves on the trees...
Do you often find yourself complaining? I do. I complain way too much. Our sermon on Sunday was about complaining. It really made me think.
We do so much complaining, but it doesn't really change anything, does it? No, infact it just brings down those around us. Complaining creates a negative atmosphere around us and fills us with "ear pollution" bringing us down.
It helps us to beat ourselves up as well. Being your own worst enemy is not the best idea.
So what do we do? Complain more, but not to others, but to God, he is always listening, and it helps you to get it off your chest. God is the only one who can do anything about it anyway. Compliment more. When is the last time you told your boss to stop complementing you for your hard work? Positive reinforcement is so much more pleasant and creates something to work for as opposed to work against.
Now its your turn... say something positive about this picture instead of complaining about the "pot" at the end of the rainbow... this could be fun!
My heart is broken. I live in DuPage County, one of the most affluent counties in Illinois. Yet, we have over 200 homeless people living here. Every night, there are only 140 beds in shelters scattered across the county. Its cold, and its only getting colder.
This Thanksgiving, I was in a warm home, surrounded by dear family and ate more than I could ever want of the world's best turkey.
This Thanksgiving, more than 200 people ate at crisis shelters and it wasn't that good of a turkey, if they ate at all.
Next time you complain about your gas bill, be thankful you have heat.
So many selfish rich people who have so much, so many underprivileged who have so little. When you are out shopping, spending hundreds of dollars getting deals, please be nice to the minimum wage workers who help you out. Remember that they are people too, and its just a job. Minimum wage is a joke, you cannot live off of it.
I watch new homes (mansions really) being built, and my stomach churns.
I am thankful God everyday for all the blessings you have given me.
Yesterday was a great day. Despite my 16 hour work day and 4 hour sleep, I really enjoyed getting up and going to my aunt's house for Thanksgiving.
First of all, props to the Turkey, it was the bestest bird ever. So juicy and tender and delicious! Tammy made this yummy peanut butter sweet potato recipe, which was good if you like peanut buttery stuff. I myself am not a fan, but still enjoyed the potato dish. Also had butternut squash, mashed potatoes, corn, two types of stuffing (both great), biscuits and I just about ate two stomachs worth.
Did you know Mike Ditka makes wine? Well, it was good, and we had a great SNL moment to go along with it.
I also have to give mad props to my sister who has lost like 40 lbs and is looking svelt. I have always thought that my sister was the prettiest ever, and now she just shines. Embarrassing my little sister is what I do best, cuz I love her!
I just had one of the bestest Thanksgivings ever, I have lots to be thankful for. Dave and I had a great night. Thanks so much to my aunt and uncle for hosting, and my cousins and sister for helping cook. And Tottie for being cute.
Now today we go to my dad's for ham. I hope I still can eat! MMMM ham. Yeah, I think I can still eat!
For Turkey Day, I will be going to my Aunt Robin's house. For day after (Ham Day) I will be going to Dad's house. Megan will be in town (yeah!) and I get to see her both days.
For today, I get to work a double shift at the hospital. Pray that I don't curl up in the salad and fall asleep tomorrow, especially after all the tryptophan in the turkey knocks me out!
Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving! I am thankful for all of my friends and family that read my blog. May you be blessed on Thanksgiving and every day.
This weekend was pretty cool. Saturday I went to a friends house to meet with others to pray. That was for me just so awesome. I want to do it more. I think that God wants us as a Church to do it more. We are supposed to be His body, so we should pray together way more often than we do. Today life is crazy. When is life NOT crazy? You don't have to have a special gift to pray, its just talking to God. I really feel we should prioritize prayer, and especially corporate prayer more in our lives.
Sunday was "Thanksgiving" with Dave's side of the family. It is just so awesome to me to be surrounded by family that I love and that loves me. Dave and I like to hang out with the kids. When we were talking about it, I mentioned because it is probably because we don't have any at home and when we do, we will most likely talk with the adults. I watched the kids play. They have no problems with physical contact like adults do. They sit on each other, wrestle, chase, hug, tackle and crawl. Whatever happened that made us not do so as adults?
The 21 day challenge at church has been awesome. Dave and I have actually not been journaling like we were challenged to, but instead we read the chapter out loud to each other and then "talk out" our would-be journal entries. One of the things that has really struck me, and gets me every time I read John: how can one read this and NOT believe? Jesus clearly states his divinity! How can you just ignore what to me seems so blatantly obvious? Not only that, but not just believe... Jesus says that believing means change... living life differently! Since when is belief in God reserved for Christmas and Easter? (total aside, but no way Jesus was born in December!) Since when does it say love me on Sunday but the rest of the week do whatever you want? Where does it say you cannot pray to God directly? (Jesus says to ask in His Name, not his mom's name!) Is doing what your ancestors did more important to you than your own salvation? (BTW, wearing a necklace with some saint's picture on it does not keep you from touching the flames of hell! It never says anything like that in the Bible!)
This fire in me, may it never extinguish. Its all happening... thank you Jesus!
I challenge YOU, if you don't believe, if its been a while, if you are confused about your spirituality... read John (the fourth book in the New Testament) and then pray about it. Still don't know, read more of the Bible... The more you read, the less you can deny him. Or, live your life in denial, click off this page and never come back.
I know this, the more I read, the more I know God. The more I know God, the more I change. The more I change, the better I feel. I have been through many trials in my life, and it is only because of my faith in Christ Jesus that I am alive today! I say this because its true!
Wanna know more? I will gladly share details and pray for you. E-mail me @ icanseerightthroughyou@yahoo.com or comment back or call me but don't give up the search for the Truth!
I give up! I was so tired last night that I fell asleep before my husband. Things are changing, I can no longer bear to be awake past 1am. I just could not stay awake.
Its a blessing.
Although things are going to have to change, I cannot be eating a meal and then falling asleep.
It will, I have faith.
God is changing me, and I am glad.
Tomorrow I am going to get together with some friends with the purpose of prayer. We all have a passion for our ministry, and a passion for prayer. We all have the spirit in us, urging us to go on. We have God-sized dreams. We know what He can accomplish. We also know that it is up to HIM to do it. We must lean on Him, asking for help.
This is not for us, not to make us look like we are special or better or anything else. This is for God and His glory. We need to remember that always.
Sometimes people do things to make themselves look good. I don't do this for that purpose, I do this because I am compelled by the Holy Spirit. I feel as if I would burst if I did not. I would burst if I did not obey. Something big is going to happen, and its gonna be awesome. Lives will be saved for the Kingdom.
His will be done here on earth, right now... that is my wish. I just want people to experience a little less hell on earth, and a lot more heaven.
Because He loved me so much that even if I was the only person on earth, Jesus would have died for my sins. I want people to know that, but also to live that. You really haven't experienced Christ until you have experienced the resurrection life he has to offer. This isn't easy, but its so good.
Want to know what I mean? Experience some fruits of the spirit.
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control
Yes that's right folks, according to my co-workers, I have been nominated most likely to star in their own reality TV show. I think this is hilarious. You know why? My life IS a reality show.
I look back over the last few years and wanted to share some highlights that probably got me qualified to "win" this title.
~I got stranded in Mexico (lost my ID and couldn't fly)
~My best friend shoved a piece of cake in my face at work (no, I did not laugh)
~I have been known to break into dance at random (especially at shift change)
~Mom's illness/death
~Dad's marriage to her caretaker 4 months after she died
~My engagement of only 3 months
~numerous "work" related dramas (I dare not say more)
~my dryer fire post remodeling
~an current event I cannot post yet
I laugh, I find this all funny, because I have survived! I am alive, and really happy (unlike most reality stars.) I don't care that people see me and my life and laugh, because I laugh. This is the joy of having Christ in your heart. Life is not easy folks, but it is for living and loving and laughing... enjoy! Thanks God!
When Dave and I married on January 7, it was only the beginning of a great adventure. See, we were originally going to wait until October 13, as in a few weeks ago October. Now, life has been hectic, so I haven't had the chance to really blog on it, but I am soooooo glad we didn't wait.
After our meeting with Pastor Troy, we both felt unsettled. I would like to thank the Holy Spirit for urging us forward. Our life has been filled with so many blessings (yes, I mean it despite all the drama) that I would not have done it any other way. Dave and I have grown so much closer to God and to each other, and waiting to get married would not have let that happen.
We have become deeply involved in our church, a part of a community that rarely exists anymore. We have become deeply involved in each other, with a commitment and passion that exceeds anything beyond my previous expectations. I didn't know that I would ever be this truly happy in my entire life. I have to give one guy the credit here... GOD! See, if Dave and I hadn't based our relationship and our individual lives around God, we would not be seeing such wonderful things in our lives.
But Shelley, you say, you guys have had nothing but turmoil, your mom died, your dad remarried, you've been sick a million times, a remodel, a house fire, one thing after another and you say you are happy? YES. Although JOY seems to be a better word. Happy is an emotion, joy is something deeper, something inside of me. A deep inner peace. It is through these trials that we have learned to lean on God, and God has totally provided.
We stand on the edge of a new era in our lives, something major is about to happen. The funny thing is, although I am scared, I am not frightened. New things are always scary, but I just know that it is gonna work out. It always does, and I trust that what God has planned for me is way better than anything I could conceive in my tiny little head. Romans 8:28 says "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
Yes we are home! Internet, our own bed, and sleeping in on Sunday! Phoebe and Abby seem to be the happiest! They know we are home, and love it! They curl up and snuggle in bed with us, making us not want to get out of bed.
Looking forward to our blinds arriving, that means no more fishbowl feelings.
Patience is truly a virtue. The washer and dryer are not installed yet, and they sit in the living room. There are tons of boxes yet to unpack. I better get going.
Thanks God for providing through our hard times. We couldn't do it without you...
Dave and I are living in a hotel right now. The suggestion was made that we should not stay at our house until the cleaning was done because of the toxicity. Our insurance covers it, and so we are nomads again. We found a really clean and affordable hotel about 5 minutes from home (depending on traffic) and so we shall see what comes of this and when we go home.
So don't mind if I don't update the blog for a while. While the hotel offers free wi-fi, we don't have a laptop. Currently I sit at "Dad's internet cafe" aka Dad's house. I have some errands to run, so I am off.
Remember to appreciate the things you do have... I do.
Dear God,
Thank your for saving us from having a total disaster Tuesday night. You kept us safe from a fire that could have destroyed our home, our pets, our lives. But I am confused... why now? Why after we remodeled and painted and moved in do we need to move out into a hotel and start all over again? Please help me to understand.
I know this. Your way is better than I can ever imagine. I need to trust in you. Everything is going to be alright.
Help me to not be so traumatized. Help me God, because I cannot do this without you.
Thank you so much. Thank you for loving me and my family and keeping us safe. Thank you for Jesus, AMEN.
