Choosing in 2012

It's easy to get caught up in busyness. One minute your focus is on the important stuff, then you get caught up in something and you lose sight of the vision. I have one goal for 2012. This goal is to choose to be a blessing. Every day. All. The. Time. This will require a lot of time on my knees. Looking forward to it with anticipation!

Remembering...

God has been challenging me lately to remember who He is, and what I have seen Him do. As we move into the month of October, I am reminded of what God did for our family one October 9 years ago.

Roan Forest had opened that year. Things were hectic, exciting, and new. Neither of our children were in school. (Ethan wasn't even thought of yet!)We had gone out to dinner with Eric's family. Emily started acting strangely. She wouldn't look at me when I talked to her. She sort of stared through me. When we got home, I put her in the tub for a bath. She couldn't sit up in the tub. I said something to Eric about it, and he said "she's just tired, put her in her crib and see how she is in the morning". I couldn't do it. I felt strongly that if I put her in bed, she'd never wake up. I called my mother-in-law and she agreed Em wasn't acting right at dinner. We took her to the ER where I was told "she's just tired" for the second time. We waited and waited to see the Dr. When they called us back, we waited some more. When the doctor finally came in he looked at Em and said "I have to be honest, I don't like her color at all". I'm going to run some blood work, and we will be testing her for leukemia, cystic fibrosis, and a list of other things that I don't remember because he started with the word leukemia. I will never forget the breath prayer I said at that moment. "Lord, I have to give this to you because I'm not strong enough. I give you my daughter". The tests came back, and she didn't have leukemia. However, she was severely anemic and needed a blood transfusion. They kept her in the hospital for a week trying to figure out what had caused her to have anemia that severely. Our small group at the time was amazing. Every night someone brought us food, new clothes, and prayed with us. Our baby girl is 10 now. I am so thankful God prompted me to keep pressing even though person after person told me nothing was wrong. In the words of one of the PICU nurses "If you'd have put her to bed, she may not have woken up". God is good. I remember.

14 Years

July 19, 1997, at the Little Church of La Villita, I married the love of my life.  It was a simple wedding, with about 30 guests.  It was perfect.   Highlights:  Eric's best man handed Cecil our rings, along with two giant candy ring pops.  I will never forget Cecil looking down in his hand and saying "Well, here are the rings.  I don't know which ones you want to use, but here they are."  It was a cute, private laugh between Eric, Cecil, Burton, and I.   After choosing our rings (we picked the real ones) I then started to shove Eric's ring on the wrong finger.  Eric looked so serious.   It had me so off guard that I had to fight the urge to laugh!

14 years and three kids later, I love this man more than I ever thought possible.  We have grown together in our love for one another and our love for the Lord.  Our journey together has not always been easy.  There have been many challenges along the way.  However, I will say that Eric has always been my champion.  Whenever I have been too weak to fight, scared, or overwhelmed he has always stood in the gap for me.
I love you Eric!  I can't wait to see what comes next!

New Hair...

I FINALLY did something with my hair.  It has been since January.  Cut + Color = New Woman.  My dilemma was that I didn't have time during the school year.  However, how does one get a 2 hour service done with 3 children???  My answer:  Lifetime Fitness.  They have a child care center where your children can play and have a marvelous time while you indulge in a 2 hour pampering session at the Life Spa.  You don't even have to be a member!!!  Now, if I could just make it to the gym for a workout...

Hello, Summer!

Blessed Beyond Measure...

Everyone has a situation that they pray they will never have to encounter.  Today I was faced with one.  Ethan and I went to the grocery store together this afternoon.  It was a normal trip, with a crazy long list.   Halfway through the store, with a cart full of groceries, Ethan begins to vomit.  Not a little--excorcist style.  It was everywhere.  Vomit was all over the groceries, in my purse and it covered Ethan from head to toe.  The pathetic amount of wipes I had in my purse wasn't cutting it.  I called out to an employee that was stocking the shelf down the aisle from me.  I explained what had happend and she called for someone with a mop.  Another employee comes up and asks would I like her to grab a shirt for him or possibly a beach towel.   I left my groceries and scooped Ethan up to take him to the rest room.  As I was cleaning him up, someone arrived with the shirt.  After cleaning him up, we left the bathroom looking for the cart I had left behind.  I was directed to a checkout line where they had unloaded and wiped down all of the groceries (some of them had to have been replaced with fresh ones).  I was handed paper towels "just in case".  I asked to have the shirt added to the groceries and was told it was a gift to us.  We were taken care of in a way I have never experienced.  Instead of leaving stressed and frustrated, we left knowing the hand of God was all over us.  HEB rocks.  I will never shop anywhere else. 

Do You Need a Second Chance?

I love Easter.  I love that it is God's "do over" for mankind.  We need it.  All of the time.  Easter is so special to me, because it was the beginning of a life changing "do over" for me.  16 years ago, I was NOT in any way the woman I am today.  I am not talking about marriage, children, or profession (even though those things changed in the last 16 years also) either.  I am talking about true life change of the heart.  At the age of 25, circumstances had put me in a literal prison.  In the midst of everything I was running from, my aunt invited me to church.  I "did her a favor" and went.  The message of Easter was not new to me, however, it touched me that day in a way I didn't expect.  Jesus died for ME.  I felt peace and hope that day in a way I never imagined.  I was made new.  Believe it or not, in the last 16 years, God has taken every horrible thing I was running from and used it for his glory.  He has taken my ashes and made them beautiful.  So my question for you is, do you need a "do over?"  Come and see.  Do me a "favor" and visit for Easter.  Hope, peace and life change are the best gifts you could ever receive.  You won't get it from me though, those gifts only come from Jesus.  Hope to see you Sunday!