Misconception

When we read blogs or read self help books, sometimes we are under the misconception that the author is claiming to have mastered the skill they write about. This is a lie of the Devil! Satan wants you to feel inferior to this person in hope of making you believe that there is no reason for you to try, because it’s out of reach. You have too much to fix before you can live that way. Wrong!

First of all, remember that if Satan is speaking, he is lying! How do you know its Satan speaking? God would never tear you down. God would never tear your spouse apart in your eyes. God would never tear your children apart in your eyes or anyone else for that matter. So, the “I’m not good enough, He’s not good enough, there’s no hope for them” ideas that enter our heads, are all lies from Satan. When I write a blog, I make it part of my daily devotions. I am learning it as I am typing it. I have found if you take notes, you remember it better. Or, if I hear myself repeat it, I retain it better. So, don’t let Satan lie to you and say I have accomplished an unreachable goal. Or, that I’m there! I’ve reached my destination and I’m boasting, I am learning and sharing what I’m learning as I’m learning it! That’s the beauty of this for me. I’m not mastering a skill; I’m learning to hand a situation to the Master. Will I let my life clutter up tomorrow? Did anyone see what kind of weekend I had? Of course, tomorrow, I will learn again! My blog is me learning in real time and inviting you into my Bible study. Every day is a new battle, every battle is spiritual. Whether we recognize it or not. “And the Lord said to Satan, ‘From where do you come?’ So Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.’” Job 1:7   It’s time we recognize that Satan hate us. He wants us to fail. There is nothing here that we can do alone! Seriously, if we could be humble and know that “I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand” we wouldn’t clutter up our lives near as much.

Weekend

Whew! What a weekend! I still have so much to say. Really would have been nice to have had my laptop. Could have gotten a lot done! Thanks to all for the prayers for me. This is a small bump in the road to recovery, but I will have more couch time to blog now!

Simple Things to Start Implementing a De-cluttered lifestyle

First of all, we have to stop lying to ourselves and listening to lies and start believing in things that are true.
Truth #1 Know who God is and that He is ALL you need. There is nothing too small to take to the Lord first. I have found that we can get caught up in life here on earth. Our daily plans are so often first centered around home, kids, husbands, chores, finances, desires, just to name a few, but I've learned that when my day centers around God, kids attitudes change, my husband enjoys us when he gets home. The house looks a little bit cleaner, even when I did nothing at all. Maybe all because my eyes were seeing clearer, my heart was cleaner, my attitude was joyful. If God created the entire universe in 6 days, why do I think He needs me to jump up and be author of my day? Planning, cleaning, budgeting, organizing, and getting a jump start on MY day without recognizing Him first. Here's a thought, describe a CEO of a major corporation. Did you think of "the big man" up at headquarters that we rarely see? And when he comes, we have someone bring in cleaners to get the place top notch. We plan for His arrival. We're scared he will see our failures. Sweep everything under the rug. Hide those bad files in the supply closet and lock the door! So often, we as Christians see God as CEO, a worldly CEO. We contact Him only when we can't get out of it, can't fix it or clean it ourselves. We attend that weekly conference call as to fulfill a duty. We call upon our self-help books before the Bible to straighten it all out. And most times, we don't want Him to show up at all. We want to plan His visits. But that is NOT God at all! We are not a salesman going door to door, trying to meet quotas, while He sits somewhere waiting on us to report stats to Him. Absolutely not. "We then, as workers together with Him..." 2 Corinthians 6:1 We are working with Him. He knows the stats already. There is nothing to hide. No reason to go into work early to clean up a mess before the boss gets there. He was there when you created the mess. In fact, the Holy Spirit is doing the work, often without us as the vessels we are created to be, because we are bogged down with cleaning a mess that we can't clean ourselves. Then, we are busy trying to hide it! God created us, don't you think He knows us. Like a mother knows when the house falls silent, something’s up. Difference is, we have to investigate. God already knows because He is here. He doesn't have to be invited to our services, to our homes, in our lives. He just needs to be recognized in them. Are you recognizing God in EVERYTHING you do? Or are you believing a lie, that because you didn't send the invitation, maybe He won't show up today? Are you recognizing Him for who He is? "Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'?" Job 38:8-11 I'm reminded of a time recently, while exiled to the recliner for recovery from surgery, there was a zu-zu pet, a toy hamster, under a chair that I could clearly see from my view. Every time one of the kids would pass by, I would ask them to pick up the toy and put it in the toy box. A week went by and the toy remained. So, why do I think I can do more or even as much as my Heavenly, when after 7 days of requests from me the toy remained, yet He only had to tell the oceans once, "You can only come this far" and they listen. Why would I want to do it alone, when I have someone so mighty in my life? Yet, day after day we hold on to all those little things we don't need help with. These little things are clutter!
Truth #2 Satan is a LIAR "...When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44b Jesus tells us that when Satan speaks, he's lying. Simple as that. I haven't had a home phone in our home for a while, mainly because of Brody calling 911 and telling the operator that parents spank kids! Yep, don't know how I got away with no DFCS agents on my doorstep, but I did. So, when recently, I decided to place one in my home again, I sat everyone down for a safety talk. What is a real emergency? When do you call 911? While having this conversation, the kids’ imaginations ran wild. "Well, what if someone steals Bryli from the front yard." Brody asks. And all of a sudden, I realized that dialing 911 wasn't so important. They were already having their very own fears instilled in them at such an early age. I took the time to explain to them safety precautions in the event, something so unimaginable happened. The one thing God spoke to me at that very point in time was tell them he's a liar. So, that's exactly what I did. I expressed to them how Satan was placing fears in them before something had even happened and IF something like that did, to know, that is Satan in the flesh, so everything that person promised or threatened to do, was a lie! Do not believe him. Tell anyone you see that he is a liar and took you. Not to let him scare you into believing that he would hurt you or your family if you speak up, because he took you, he had already hurt us both. I told them these things, not to scare them but to ease their minds. These were fears Satan was already putting in their innocent little minds. Bryli asked, "But, what if you don't know I'm gone for years? And you don't know to look for me?" Its common sense for us adults, how could we not know she was missing? But Satan was already filling her head with the "no one cares" scenario that we believe in simple issues in our own lives. Satan lies to us everyday. He places fears in us before something can even happen so we will be so overcome with fear that we are virtually paralyzed. "You better not let anyone know your loosing your home. What a failure they will think you are! Why should you tell them anyway? They don't care. There's nothing they can do to help!" or "Don't bother them with your prayer request. Mr. Doe has cancer. He needs their prayers more than you do. That would be so selfish of you to even ask." We have to stand up to him! Yell at him! Tell him that he has no rights over us and our families. He can't have our hearts so he attacks our minds with lies and fears everyday. Don't let him stick around. "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7 Satan is busy, especially busy with our children. They trust. They trusted that Satan was telling them truth more than believing that God would be with them in EVERY situation in life, big or small. So, often we expect them to stand firm in their faith by themselves for hours a day and wonder why they have bad attitudes and nightmares.

It’s time we recognize God and who He is daily, in everything we do and get ourselves into, good and bad. He’s not just a problem solver. The moment we wake, we as Christians, are in the presence of God Almighty. Don’t ignore Him. It’s also time to realize when Satan is filling our heads with junk and cut him off mid-sentence to say, “Get away from me Satan!”  Out loud if you have to! Try it, it works! Set up good study habits. Seek God first! Whenever it is your day starts. If you give yourself 30 minutes to get ready, give God at least the same. It’s just double the getting ready. It’s like extending the shower. You never really want to get out, but eventually, the water turns cold. So, see this as extending your shower. Let God cleanse you and shower you with blessings of grace and mercy every morning.

My Salvation Story

Since I can remember, I have attended church. Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, revival, VBS, we went to church and loved it. I knew about God and Jesus and heard all the Sunday school stories. So naturally, at a young age, I started raising my hand wanting to be saved during alter calls. When I was 7, my parents asked me if I wanted to be saved and naturally, I said yes. My parents prayed for me that day and I professed that I had been saved. But during a youth revival, when I was 12, God singled me out. He showed me that I didn’t pray for myself that day 5 years earlier. I remember thinking about the embarrassment that my friends, whom I had fooled, would know that it had all been a show. But, thank God, the pull of Holy Spirit was so strong and encouraging that I couldn’t wait to jump and nearly run to the alter. I remember such a relief almost the moment I made the very first step. Satan had been trying to fill my head with the lies he’s so good at telling. Lies about embarrassment. Lies that my mother would be mad. Lies that all my friends would turn their back on me. But, I eventually had to tell him to shut up and make it about me and Jesus. No one else. Because no one else was worth going to hell for. Beauty of it all, those lies were exactly that, lies! When I finished praying, completely unaware of what was going on around me, I stood up to find, my best friend had just given her life to Christ and also 5 others from our youth group. Randy Rhye was the guest evangelist preaching that night. It was April 18^th.  I’ll never forget that day. Every time Satan tries to make me doubt, I remember the “jump and run” feeling I had. It was electrifying, refreshing, cool rain and walking on hot coals all in one!! But most of all, I remember the forgiveness and tender touch from my Heavenly Father. Welcoming me into the family. Nothing like it!

My Mother the Motivator!

My mother was the strongest woman I know! She had the "let's get off our butt's and do what we've gotta do to make this happen" attitude. My father, being a sickly man most of his life, could only earn minimum wage in the early years. So, my mother often worked more than 1 job to make ends meet. We played sports, got Birthday presents, Christmas presents, Easter baskets and never skipped a beat. She cooked, cleaned, grew strawberries and we would pick vegetables from friends gardens. She never got the recognition she deserved from employers, or us for that matter, but never expected it like we do today. She cooked for new moms, neighbors who were sick, US! I don't know how she did it all?! But, I know why... she loved my father and us more than life! She volunteered with the youth group at church and the children's choir when I was young. I never saw her in a vunerable state until my father died. We were her motivation. Daddy died and she had an empty nest all within 18 days of each other. All that motivation came to a screeching hault. So, she took a vacation the week after the wedding. Guess where she went? To PCB, Fl. Guess where I went on my honeymoon? PCB, Fl. So, I bet I'm the only one that can say their mother showed up on their honeymoon! Ha! Yikes? Nah... Did we leave early? Yes! We didn't stay in the same hotels, but there was a strange comfort in knowing she was there with the "Grizwald's" - a whole 'nother story! For once, she needed us. A test-drive if you will for what was to come. In 2004 my mother was diagnosed with colon cancer and underwent surgery to remove 1/3 of her colon. She swore us to secrecy! No one could know she was in the hospital! She was running for tax commisioner for Hall County. She set up the plans for the hospital denying she was even at the hospital even though she would be staying a few days! She was released from the hospital and had a speaking engagement she refused to cancel the next day! Wonder where I get my "can't hold me down" attitude? Hmmm... 9 months later, she woke up late, a woman who never slept past 6 am a day in her life. She rushed to the bathroom, jumps in the shower, but couldn't remember how to turn on the water. She looks in the mirror to brush her hair, but how exactly does she fix it? She can't remember. She gets in the car, how does it start? She approaches Winder Hwy, but which side do I drive on? She continues and stops at Chick-fil-A. "Good morning, and thank you for choosing Chick-fil-A, How may I serve you", the attendant asks. "I don't know", she replies. Mom was able to do routine thinks, like those days you get to work but can't remember making all those turns or observing redlights. The ladies at Chick-fil-A knew her so well, they were able to help her with her order although they thought it odd she couldn't remember what she has ordered everyday for the past several months. She gets to work and my mother, a retired senior accountant for Hall County Ga, couldn't remember how to turn on her computer. A co-worker knew this wasn't right and called our eldest sister Angie immediately. But it must go on record that Angie was called first only because her name started with "A", not because she was the favorite! Just keepin' it real Ang! Love ya! But "B" came next! Ha! After CT's they determined she had a stroke. A bleeding kind. Then, they found she had a smaller one before we all missed! Yikes! So, began the daunting task of "who's the president" or "what year is it" type questions because as she consistantly got them right, it meant the brain was soaking up the blood and she was recovering. She spent less than a week in the hospital and was released practically straight from ICU. And of course with the "don't tell anyone this happend" attitude. Strong and proud! She made a full recovery and kept movin on with life. On April 3, 2008, I had just finished my mail route, picked up the kids and headed home. As I was backing into the driveway, I hit the garage door opener and nothing happen. "Stupid, Garage door!" Frustrated I began hitting it several times, nothing. I go to the front door and walk in realizing, my power has been turned off?! What?! I paid it! I called the electric company. "Well, mam, you did pay it, but you wrote the check for $3.95 less than the bill." the representative replies. "Regardless of my mistake, it was just due last week. Shouldn't the extra roll over to the next month, alerting me of the mistake." I say with MUCH sarcasm. "Mam, we reserve the right to suspend accounts when they are 5 days overdue." she holds her compulsure. "By $3.95?" My voice thunders in the reciever. "Well, yes. But, I agree that it sounds absurd. I'll waive any fees this time and schedule you for a connect. But you'll have to be more careful in the future." I hang up and out of anger and frustration look towards heaven and scream "Where are you?!" My phone rang at that precise moment... It's Kristy, mom's had another stroke and this one is bad. Come quick... How's that for an instant answer? Insert Scripture... The entire book of Job! I was completely embarassed, I now need to turn to Him and ask for healing and protection but first, I needed forgiveness. Why was it His fault? I screwed up? I can't answer that any other way than, its not! But in a moment of disappointment, I let Satan tell me He didn't care. I share because I learn more in my valleys than on the mountain tops. Psalms 84:5-9 "...As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs;...They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion..." These are my pools I'm leaving behind to encourage, mentor, support, whatever you may get from these mini testimonies of life. Mom was on her lunch break and running an errand for work. She popped her head into the Oakwood tag office branch to greet some old friends and ask about the buffet a few doors down in the same shopping center. She heads out to have lunch and about 15 minutes later, a gentleman escorts her back to the tag office and asks if anyone in there knew who she was. In a matter of minutes life changed dramatically. When she left the tag office she stumbled into the Oakwood Bodyplex gym, holding her head, disoriented. A man working out spotted her and came to her aid sitting her down and giving her water. Then, by the way she was dressed, knew she was in the wrong place. He decided to walk her to the tag office to see if anyone knew her. Luckily, everyone there knew her and knew about the previous stroke. Yeah, we were never good at keeping secrets. They were able to call 911 and alert them this was a stroke. When I arrived at the hospital, the neurologist had just walked in to speak with us. The look on his face, grim. "This was a big one and they will be taking her up to ICU. Say something now because she will be unconcious soon." Shock. And, don't look at each other, you'll cry. Cry? Is that what I'm worried about? Being a "strong" woman? That's not a "strong" woman, that's a "proud" woman. "Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor. Proverbs 18:12 We find out that evening that the stroke has occured in the basal ganglia- sometimes refered to as grand central station. The stroke has also clogged up an important area with blood causing Hydrocephalus - built up of fluid on the brain. They insert a shunt into her scull to drain the excess fluids. She spends the first week in ICU, in and out of consciencness. We ask the nessasary questions. you know, "What year is it?" "Who's the president?" And she's annoyed. I go to work the day after a good day only to usually be called back because she's been unresponsive since then. At the begining of week 2, I head up for my morning shift at the ICU. We all take turns because its not good for all of us to be there leaving families to fend for themselves going on week 2. She taught us well, and would have been unhappy with the thought of all the attention she was getting. I remember walking in to the ICU department and hearing someone laboring to breath. Its gets louder and louder and I find its my mother. She's awake, but her expression is terror. She can't talk, she's concentrating on breathing. Her nurse bounces in to introduce herself. I asked her how long she had been breathing that way and she asked, "Oh, is this not normal? This is the first time I've had her as a patient." I demanded a doctor STAT! Her neurologist comes quickly and immediatly says, "Hmm, this is new." I really feel like using terms from the blue collar comedy tour at this point. Someone is either a redneck or is getting a  new sign. It was just that dumb to even be having that conversation. Really people? Her breathing was so loud I could hear it a good 100ft away. After a quick exam, it's determined she has lost her gag reflex. The ability to control her airway verses, eating and swallowing. If she chocked on water, she couldn't cough or gag. The doctor determines that she can breath because her oxygen levels are still in the 90's and if they fall below 95 we will revisit the situation. Let's watch her. I ask her, "Mom, can you breath?" she shakes her head, no. The doctor explains that she only "thinks" she can't breath. That afternoon she is below 95 and Kristy and I find that a nurse is feeding her applesauce?! When we questioned her, she appologized and said she couldn't read the docotor's handwriting where he wrote "Do not feed, no gag reflex." By evening her oxygen levels are in the 80's but we're still watching her. The next morning they fall in the 70's and they decide to do a CT thinking maybe another stroke. As they are bringing her out of the CT, she "crashes" and they have to intibate to save her life. They put her back into the CT, something must have just changed, but can't really assess much because of the amount of blood still on the brain. So, now she is intibated, with a shunt in her head and unconscience. They decide she needs a feeding tube because she can't eat, don't know when she'll eat again. We would ask questions to doctors and nurses concerning her prognosis and the doctors were saying full recovery, nurses would say "I've seen them come back from worse honey." But, my favorite answer I got from a night nurse, Honey, I don't know. Honest, not boasting with expertise. Just a true down to earth conversation of we don't know what our days hold, because we don't hold our days. "My times are in your hands..." Psalms 31:15a After about two and a half weeks, insurance wanted mom out of ICU. She is still in and out of conscienciousness, intibated now with a trake, shunt still in her head, feeding tube, pnumonia and they want her out. Someone who still needs around the clock care of ICU needs to be kicked out. Overall, she stayed in the ICU two and a half weeks, first floor for two and a half more weeks, and then serveral weeks in rehab. Insurance actually moved her to rehab with all the above ailments. I'll never be a fan of insurance companies. She was in the hospital for about two to two and a half months. She has severe frontal lobe damage and when the blood finally cleared, they discovered 4 strokes that occured between the first one we knew about and this one. She pretty much is similar to an alzheimer's patient only with the memories but without the daily ability to function and make decisions. Her voice and personality have changed. But God knew she could have never handled a stroke affecting motor skills and be in her right mind. she was too strong a woman to let someone else take care of her. I know there is a purpose, I don't what it is, yet. I may never know here on earth. But you keep on going on. You get up off your butt and get it done! As she would say. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

My Daddy! My Hero!

I absolutely adored my father! He had a heart of gold and would do or give you anything that he had, although that wasn't much. He was 12 or 13 when he was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. What did that mean to me growing up? Well, playing nurse and fighting over who got to "shoot" daddy, today! I thought everybody got to give their dad a shot everyday. It was the "norm". I remember, in the early years, he worked at David Washington now known as Wild Wings in Gainesville! It was a lumber supply company. He later worked for Peachtree Doors in Gainesville. My "smell" memories, sawdust and Brut. He was a simple man, never used shampoo, only bar soap. Hated all condiments, except salt and pepper. No ketchup, mustard, A-1, Heinz 57, butter, marinara sauce, Alfredo sauce, plain only! He never ate Karaoke! Funny story... Took him to NY with me in High school and the dinner theater marquee stated that Wednesday's were Karaoke night and my father's comment was, "You know I don't eat that stuff!" Ha! What's the saying? "You can take the boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of the boy!" Simple Man! When I was about 12, he lost 1 leg to the disease. That's when diabetes became real to me. Oh, we had real fun times before that like dodging the glass of coke Kristy and I tried to feed him to bring his sugar levels back up before he bottomed out and ended up in a coma... That's the day we learned you put it in a plastic cup and not glass! Or the time we went camping, his sugar bottomed out in the middle of the night at a camp ground., in a tent. We woke to dad doing the "bicycle" in the air and eventually tearing down the tent on top of us. Mom, Kristy and I wrestled him into the car and off to the nearest hospital. On the way he kicked us, pulled our hair like he was a 2 year old and we just took his toy. At one point my face was plastered against the dashboard, Kristy's against the back window and mom's hair being pulled while trying to drive. I type this with a smile because as crazy as it was, we were together and we remember camping with a maniac, I mean father and I wonder just what the neighboring tents thought was going on next door! Sorry, but I just have to giggle! Funnier story, when we get to the hospital, they preform x-rays on him! When I was 17, he came down with pneumonia and ended up in the ER where he was to receive routine fluids and go home with the the usual prescriptions only, the fluids built up around his heart and he had congestive heart failure and then a heart attack. I'll never forget the nurse bring my mother his wedding band in the waiting room and then death became real to me. He didn't die then, but he spent pretty much all summer in the hospital recovering. He left the hospital with his second leg amputated, and complete kidney failure. He started out with dialysis 2 times a week a couple hours a day and progressed to 3 times a week almost all day. He didn't give up though! No sir! He learned to walk with 2 prosthetic legs and continue to live life serving others. He was known in our youth group at church for taking a leg off and placing behind the tire of the church van as a practical joke. He served as an usher on Sundays and did it all with a smile on his face. I was proud of my daddy, my hero! I was proud he was mine! Not ashamed that my dad didn't have legs, proud that he didn't let that slow him down! When I was 19, the wedding plans were well on way for May 6, 2000. I was marring my best friend and my daddy's second side kick, for I was the 1st. They were 2 peas in a pod sitting on the end of the bed watching sports together! Oh, yeah, and occasionally, That 70's show! Don't ask! On April 18, 2000, 18 days before mine and Matt's wedding, my daddy died of massive heart attack. I was sad. No butterfly kisses song, No pre-wedding talk of encouragement just before walking me down the aisle. Just, not how I imagined it and not enough time to imagine a new way. Pure shock! But God, knew exactly what He was doing with the timing. We burried him on Good Friday that year, We had a wedding shower on Saturday, 2 weeks to finalize wedding plans and change a few, before we knew it, the wedding came and we cried at the rehersal and I laughed with my husband through the wedding! What's the saying? "The more you laugh at the rehersal, the more you cry at the Wedding!" Well, we did it opposite! But imagine with me if you will, in the midst of death and sorrow, a wedding! Laughter and joy of a new begining! Isn't that just like God! "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" Romans 8:28

From the Top!

I was born into a Christian family of 1 brother, and 2 sisters. A mother and father that took us to church every time the doors were opened and when they weren't physically able to take us, they called neighbors! Imagine that, being too sick to go yourself, yet sending you children with someone else. "Train a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6 My daddy was my hero, my mother was my motivator and my siblings were the pain in the necks they were created to be! LOL! JK I love you guys! I have good childhood memories, 1 TV, 1 bathroom, and 1 car in the early years! Yes, 4 females and 1 bathroom on Sunday morning and I don't remember it ever being a problem to make it to 10am Sunday School. We had a "vette", Chevrolet Chevette that is. Teal Green, 4 door and not 1 inch of fabric in it. That's right, all vinyl! That was leather to us! I can still remember the smell of vinyl and the soy bean plant on 129. Oh, the memories!

I remember my siblings riding the bus to school, and my parents carpooling and picking up a co-worker on the way! In return, a bag of vegetables, not expected, but out of appreciation to the kindness shown by my family who had enough excuses to say "we can't" by today's standards, but didn't. Today, the "Jone's" way, we all skip church to stay home and wipe each others noses, each child has their own TV and at least 2 game systems, their own bathroom and we can't make it to 11:00 service on time. Daddies are those males that fill the bank accounts for the Target shopping trips with overtime at work and when they get a day off, they are off to the golf course, ball field for the weekend tournament, or lake to fish alone because "Sonny" will scare the fish off. Moms are busy proving they are equal to a man in the world which translates to being better than the man. We have at least 2 cars before our kids hit driving age at which time we add one per 16 year old and we fail to offer a ride to that co-worker living 1 neighborhood over out of fear of not getting the compensation we "deserve". Siblings are still the pain in the necks they were created to be, only, the fun loving picking I remembered that ended with laughter, usually ends in tears and the dreaded "I can't wait until I can move out of here" comment. So, what's different? The Jone's? Well, keeping up with them at least. Sure, there has always been the Jone's, I only grew up in the 80's, I just never had that family that desired to keep up with them... Thank God! So, am I saying I had a perfect family? Life? No! One bathroom people! We had many faults, but we were happy. So when I woke up one day on the brink of loosing everything, miserable and without hope, I remembered a day when I was truly happy... poor!

Why do I have a blog??

Am I so self-righteous that I actually think people would want to follow me? Absolutely NOT! Does the Lord place things in my heart that I want to share with friends and family other than FB? YES! I have been moved to make major changes in my attitude, life, children's lives, husband's life, dog's life, guinea pig's life... well, that probably going a little far, but, God is definitely moving and I want to share with all of you the things He has placed in my heart. ***Disclaimer: These are guidelines God has placed for me and my family, you must seek the Lord first in your life before making any changes related to my posts, otherwise your following me not Him! I hope that through this blog, I will gain support of prayers in my journey, mentors of those gone before me and accountability partners to help me stand firm on the right foundations! So, if you fall in any of these categories, please feel free to subscribe to my blog. Thanks!