A weekend away, a reflection on my time....

Had a WONDERFUL weekend in GA. Tyler's girlfriend Becca had her Prom so and I spent the weekend with just Ben, Tyler, Becca and her family. It was so nice to escape from reality for a few days to spend some time with some wonderful people and have quality time with my husband away from reality.

We hiked up to the Gause's cabin and soo enjoyed the the outdoors by the creek.

The past week, Ben and I had been very distracted trying to get the house ready and very much neglected our study on fireproofing our marriage. We quickly realized that it is so easy to place everything in your life first, more so than what should be priority. We realized this even more as we sat in class Sunday night and saw first hand how placing your priorities in the wrong place can cause such destruction to a marriage.

Our number one priority should be to worship the Lord and I have failed miserably this week.

Delight yourself in the Lord; and he will give you the desires of the heart.Psalms 37:4

It is amazing that I have so selfishly been asking the Lord to help me find the strength to get the house finished and to help me get it sold, but I have not given him the time that is due to him and he still loves and forgives me.

Thank you Lord for being so patient with me as I am growing.

Another Thought For Today

I shared my thoughts of the weekend and wanted to share another post about some other thoughts today. I am reminded that the closer Ben and I come to Christ, the more difficult life becomes. I feel we are constantly under attack and at trial in our daily walk. I woke up this morning feeling like the weight of the world is on us. Gerus and Galen, my stepson's need much prayer this week. We are going through a legal matter with their mother and the home is unstable and our battle seems uphill, trying to get them in a Christian environment. It seems the same goes for our struggle with our daughter Sarah and convincing her to go with us to VA. My work is overloading me more and more daily and there is no choice but to keep on going with "business as usual." I sometimes feel like I need to just hit my knees and not stop praying. Always out of the blue I am reminded that God is almighty! When I was in basic training I told myself everyday on my 2 mile run that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13.

My new verse today is: My God supplies all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ JESUS (Phil.4:19)

In my readings tonight Phil. 4:19 spoke to me and helped me to understand that he is all I need and is the answer to all my prayers.

This assuring promise discloses the resources God made available to His people in answer to prayer. In the clear light of this certified promise they have no justifiable excuse for spiritual poverty.
We can think of God’s promise to be a certified check made payable to us the moment we present it for payment. No matter what gracious spiritual and temporal blessings the promise contains, we cannot receive them until we make our requests known unto God in prayer. It is possible to have sufficiency in all things by claiming the riches of God made available to us by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. When Paul said, “My God shall supply all your need,” he is saying, “Christ is all you need.” We are enriched in all things pertaining to life in time and in eternity when we possess Him. Christ is all we ever need to cope with the difficulties and dangers confronting us in the path leading to the Father’s house of many mansions.

Reunion With Friends

It is a typical Monday, all work and no play... WEll I guess that is what I signed up for!!! I am not sure why I always dread Monday's, but for some reason I feel cheated of time when Monday rolls around.



This past weekend was great! I went to the Smokey Mountains with several of my girl friends from high school. It was so nice to reunite, several of them I hadn't seen in 10 and 20 years. We spent all weekend talking, singing karaoke, shopping and talking to the wee hours of the morning. It was really nice to get away with the girls, but I missed my husband and kids more than I thought I would.








Betsy and her mom Carol


It was so wonderful to have Carol, Betsy's mom come with us on the trip. She served more as the "group" mom when we were in high school. I always remembered her guiding us with such gentle words and in such a way that we always understood very clearly what was expected. During our stay, Carol shared some very private details of her life and break up from a 20 year relationship of dating the same man, that never married her. She went on to tell us girls about how, Jerry, her fiance had changed her life in so many ways. Jerry is a retired pastor and Carol said she was hungry her whole life to be with a man that could satisfy her spiritual need. Her message to each of us was very clear still even 20 years later.

I was so excited for the four hour trip home to get to church with Ben for our class. The weekend brought so many things in prospective and made me appreciate him even more. While I was gone, Ben took the kids to the cheer competition, took Hannah's phone to be fixed, took Emma to Abby's birthday party and got everybody rounded up for church. He is truly AMAZING and I just love him more and more daily.

We took some very good friends to the fireproof class with us, Joe and Courtney. They are struggling in their marriage and have just moved back together. They have committed to the 40 days of the love dare with us and we will be in constant prayer for their marriage.

Thank you Lord for blessing me with my husband.

Dare for Day 2

Love is kind... Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32

Today's dare was in addition to say nothing negative to your spouse today, do at least one unexpected gesture of kindness today.

Although I was feeling completely under the weather today and was home most of the afternoon, I decided to have dinner ready when Ben got home. It seems so often I take for granted the fact that Ben is such a wonderful husband and is always doing the cooking and much of the house work. I rarely have the opportunity to surprise him and give him a break. So today was that special day. I am not sure that I can express to him how much I appreciate all that he does, but I am sure that words will never be enough, so I will continue thorough my actions to try and exceed his expectations as well.

Thank you lord for being so gracious and allowing me to have such a wonderful husband. I only hope that we can share what we learn as an ambassador for others to follow.

Today's scripture reminded me that the Lord forgives me with such a tender heart and never passes judgement on me. Ben and I have struggled with our feelings about the way that our daughter reacted in the past few weeks. It is so important that we remind ourselves that Christ loves us unconditionally and we also should have that unconditional love for our daughter. Thank you Lord for my beautiful children.

For I will be merciful and gracious toward their sins and I will remember their deeds of unrighteousness no more.Hebrews 8: 12

Day One of the Love Dare, Fireproofing Your Marriage

Yesterday we started a class together at our church, called Fireproofing Your Marriage. Today was our first day of forty. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2 Our dare today was to resolve to demonstrate patience and to say nothing negative to each other. We learned last night that many times anger is a condition of the heart and that we should be slow to speak and slow to anger.

I am not certain that we failed today's dare, however we were both pretty short and our fuse is about gone. We have had a few tiring weeks with lots of work to do around the house, kids that are relentlessly fighting lately and neither of us seem to have any patience. I guess the good thing about the dare is there is always another one tomorrow and we are lucky that part of tomorrow's dare also repeats today's... another chance. :)

At the end of the day, we still love each other and rely on one another to get through each day.

Hebrews 13:4

"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral."

That was this morning's message and sermon at church. Brother Larry is such an incredible pastor and has been preaching on family topics for the past few weeks. This morning made us think about the way to affair-proof our marriage. He really put it into perspective and made everybody think, and probably made a few people a little bit on the uncomfortable side. Affairs are damaging to a marriage and it is IMPOSSIBLE to recover from infidelity, no matter how much the couple tries. Every Sunday we come away from the sermon with the most amazing feeling of relief knowing that God is talking us in some form. (I just wish we knew what he is saying to us.)

We were reading the bulletin this morning and saw that Brother Terry is starting a new 8-week series on the Fireproof movie and the book "The Love Dare." Christi just bought "The Love Dare" and we read the first chapter last night, so it's comforting knowing that we'll be able to go through the next 8 weeks studying the book and getting some extra insight in our study of the book...

...We just got back from our first lesson on "The Love Dare." After looking back on today, I see that I have failed miserably on my first dare, but fortunately for me, I can start all over tomorrow. The dare was to be slow to anger and say nothing negative to/about your spouse. It's very frustrating dealing with kids that defy you and still have enough perseverance to go through the day without saying anything negative. With all the stressors that we have on ourselves nowadays (kids, house to sell, moving, etc.) I know that the 40 dares will be challenging to complete, but not impossible. We're both looking forward to next week's lesson and I made Christi promise that she would come back early from her reunion with all of her girlfriends from high school. I just hope we can complete the series before moving.

We are so ready to move out of this area and into a new place with a new start. I think the one thing that we will miss the most is our church with which we have become VERY comfortable. I know finding a comparable one will be possible, will take some shopping around and some heavy duty praying.

Looking for the answers...

As we continue to walk in faith, Ben and I are so hungry for more of his word. Today we stumbled on some sad information about our daughter. I almost wanted to hit my knees and ask“Lord WHY?!?” I find myself sitting with this sinking feeling in my stomach, wanting for tomorrow to come, so that I can be richly blessed with the word of God through the voice of my pastor. It is such a feeling of hunger! Every day Ben and I are growing stronger and stronger. I am not sure if this is by default of praying and staying in the word together or just knowing that as we are battling through what feels like war for us right now, is the time when the Lord is carrying us and we just don’t know it.
Isaiah 46:4 Even to your old age I will be the same, And even to your graying years I will bear you! I have done it, and I will carry you; And I will bear you and I will deliver you

We have spent much time today working on the house, trying to complete the MESS! I can’t wait for our “little” project to be done! Yahoo!!! Means the house goes on the market!

The Past Two Weeks

The past few weeks have been some of the most trying times for Ben and me. We are extremely busy and overwhelmed with our daily routine and the battles that come with loving children and not always being able to protect them. There are some days you absolutely want to just give up, but I remind myself that the lord did not give up on his children and we must find the strength to purge forward and not let this cruel world blind us from his plan.
We have been road warriors in the past two weeks… headed to Knoxville to Sarah’s competition. Thanks to Mary Glad and Jimmy we were able to have a relaxing weekend not staying in a hotel. We got to spend time with Andrew and LeAnn for Dinner at O’Charleys. Was nice to see family.

Watching Sarah perform tugged at my heart, knowing how my little girl has changed from this tiny little creature I could protect to a teenage girl who is easily influenced. I couldn’t help but to be saddened by how detached she is becoming from me.

Oh Lord, I pray for you to wrap your arms of protection around my sweet Sarah.
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1.

A New Day

Today I went to Aunt Sarah’s funeral with Ben and Sarah. What a tough day it was to watch my cousins going through so much pain. The service was one of the longest, but most rewarding I have ever been to. Aunt Sarah’s pastor spoke of all her memories in the church, of her family and all she has done for others around her. Her four daughters stood together and sang a beautiful Christian song for her and there wasn’t a single dry eye in the church. It seems every day the lord is speaking to Ben and me through others. I left the graveside services knowing that there is only one purpose for us here on earth and that is to just serve the Lord. I will go to sleep tonight sad, missing someone that was blessing to so many, not understanding why God called her home, but knowing that because of his grace, I will also eventually have the chance to meet my maker and see her again.

On another note, today’s events made me realize how short life can be and you may never have the chance to tell those you love how much they mean to you. I wish so badly I could go back and tell my grandmother and grandfather how much a difference they made in my life. I still find myself hearing my grandfather’s voice guiding me when I can't make a decision. I will regret all my life for not spending more time with them, but will indeed spend every moment of the remainder of my life ensuring that my husband and children know how much I love them.

THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE...

It is so easy to ask why? I am not sure we ever understand how or why someone we love leaves us prematurely. Sarah Elizabeth was a very special person to me. Through the years, she always made sure everyone around her knew where she would stand at judgment day. It seems so cruel to rob the earth of an ambassador of Christ, but oh how the gates of Heaven are singing at this moment.

Aunt Sarah spent her whole life in love with the man she married, my Uncle James. My Aunt and Uncle divorced for all the wrong reasons and regretted it for so many years. Saturday February 21, 2009, Aunt Sarah and Uncle James finally made peace with each other and resolved all of the lost years at their daughter's wedding. One week from that day, on Uncle James and Aunt Sarah's wedding anniversary, Aunt Sarah passed on to God's kingdom. My Uncle was on the phone with her when she took her last breath. WHAT a BEAUTIFUL moment!!! I know now the Lord works in mysterious ways and is constantly keeping us aware that he is in charge.

She is an angel

An Angel is what she is to me

That’s what she was truly meant to be

As her time on earth has past

Her memory will always last

She was put to the ultimate test

Now it’s time for her to rest

So as she goes

Heaven only knows

That she was more

Than you or me

Because an Angel is what

She was truly meant to be