Thought of the day...

Raking leaves can be so theraputic...this afternoon I had some time so I decided to tackle the mound of leaves that are in my front lawn...I have never seen so many leaves! It was very theraputic for me...I got lost in my thoughts...it was good excercise but about 20 minutes into it, the caffiene from my afternoon Starbucks was wearing off and the thought crossed my mind...sure would be nice to have a strong guy doing this job instead of me...my body was wearing out and i am sure the people driving by were thinking..."what is she doing outside right now...it's freezing!" So in the midst of my thinking, the thought came across my mind of what is said to me time and time again..."you sure are gonna make a great wife some day...you sure are gonna be a good mom....blah blah blah..." What people don't realize is the effect that comments like that have on single people...I know that they mean it well but when that is truly ones hearts desire...it's almost like rubbing salt on a wound...I'm not at all trying to sound ungrateful for where God has me...but then the thought came to me, what's wrong with being a great child of God? great daughter? great sister? great aunt? great friend? great leader? great co-worker? great neighbor? great confidant? great mentor? great servant? great soul-winner? the list went on and on in my head....this is what I want to strive to be great at for these things are what I am now and what I have been created to be. Why wish my life away thinking that I am not fulfilling God's plan just because I am not a "wife or mother" yet? I have the opportunity right now to be great at what He has already made me to be! I refuse to get wrapped up in thinking that my life doesn't count just because I haven't become the things that the world deems as being necessary to be successful or "great". Scripture tells me that to be great in His kingdom, one must learn to be a servant of all....that is what i want to be great at!





by the way...just had to share some pics of my precious lil Ava girl!

I am so blessed...

For some reason or another, I cannot sleep tonight...maybe its the fact that I went to the gym so late, or that I drank coffee too late...or that my roommates always seem to find themselves in my room and we cant control the laughter over the silly girl stuff! Anyways...as I am sitting here checking emails, looking at blogs, shopping for a car (carmax.com is a really cool site) ...I smile because I am so blessed...blessed with an awesome family that seeks God and encourages me in my walk with Christ, blessed to have this home that I don't deserve, blessed to have friends that genuinely care about me and pray for me, blessed to have a job with a boss that seeks to glorify God in everything, blessed to have co-workers who smile when you walk through the door only because they want to share what Christ has done for them with you....blessed to have roommates that accept me for who I am and always find a way to make me smile...
love you girls...

I'm blessed to have Jesus Christ as my Savior and best Friend....I am so blessed...blessed with a kitchen full of food, blankets on my bed....water in the shower...I am blessed with so much...
God, I thank you that I am so blessed...I pray that my life blesses His heart.

My Sweet 'lil Niece...

Ok, so I am head over heels for this precious little one! I cannot begin to fathom what having your own children is like and the love that comes out of you....seeing as I have so much love inside of me for this precious little girl that is not even mine. Ava is such a blessing in my life. Her smile lights up the room and to hear her precious voice cooing and jabbering...makes me smile just writing this. This thanksgiving was wonderful. It is amazing how a little baby can bring so much joy into a family without even knowing it. She just sits there and does what she does best and has no idea the impact she is making on the 6 adults sitting around her. I am so thankful to God that He has blessed my family with this precious one. And as I write this....I parrallel it with my walk with Him. I hear Him say to me..."my child, you have no idea the joy that you bring to Me when you just sit there and do what I have created you to do....you have no idea the smile that you bring to My face just for being you...." I then began to think about the Father's love for me....I cannot fathom the love that He has for me and I am His child! I come from His family....I belong to Him!!!

Time to Worship

Matthew 14:31-33
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

As I was reading this passage this morning, the latter part of this story stuck out to me. A number of times, I have read and reread and studied the first part of this story about Peter stepping out on faith...walking on the water to Jesus and focusing his eyes on Jesus and how that applies to me in the storms of life. Oh to have that kind of faith that walks on the water to Jesus in the midst of the storms of life....but today...the last part of the story really hit home. It says that when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.....I had to ask myself...how many times do I stay out on the water even after Jesus has caught me and rescued me once again...I realize that an important step to this deliverance was the both of them getting back in the ship. When they got back in the ship, the wind ceased....When I get back in the place of safety....when I get back to His arms...my Strong Tower and my Deliverer....my Hiding Place....the wind is gonna cease....it's not just gonna blow a little less....it says that IT CEASED! The second part that sticks out to me is that when they got back in the boat they ALL worshipped Him.....How many times do I just say "Thanks Lord for your deliverance" and then leave His presence without truly worshipping Him. What is the worship here? "Of a truth thou art the Son of God." Repeating Who He is....acknowledging Him for Who He is it's true...He is the Son of God! ...true worship!