Monday, May 30, 2011

How Do I Get There?

I don't know where I'm going.  I don't know hat God has planned for me.  I know it's big.  Not big for Him per se, but it'll be huge for us.  I'll keep repeating my prayer for strength and endurance because that is what my heart keeps asking for.  I know not why, nor what or when, no clue how and so the only peace that carries me is knowing who.  Me and Him.
In all reality He knows the plan and He'll give me the rest of those answers when the time is right.  So I'll get back to my Philippeans Bible study that reminds me that I (yes, even me) can do all things (all things? I guess if He says so) through HIM who give me strength.  Oh, okay Lord, I'll give you my burdens, because my life isn't for me, it's for you and if you'll get me through it, then who am I to question any of it?
I don't know where I'm going, don't know how I'll get there, but I've decided that's okay. Open my heart, head and ears to what you're telling me.  Let me see the light you've got shining upon my path.  Taking these faithsteps every day so that you might do your great things through me.
Amen
LuvNHugz - SuppotNPrayerz
DV-NMV

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Calling All Prayer Warriors

I need your help.  There is a young lady that has been heavy on my heart for the last year.  A sweet, dear girl that I have feared she will just become another 'number'.  One that is pregnant in high school because she's looking for someone to love her.  The kind of looking that lets unresponsible young men take advantage of her for a roll in the proverbial sack a few times and then walks away from when the fun wears off.
Her parents are doing the absolutely best job that they can in raising their children.  They are helping raise their grandchildren and doing a great job at everything they can.  It is just one of those situations that at some point along the line the circle has to be broken and someone needs to steps outside of the comfort zone of the life they're in and make a change and creat a new and wonderful life.
I don't know where I come into all of this, I just feel like I'm not listening to God so now He's thumping me over the head.  I brought it up to my husband last night and we possibly will offer for her to come help me kind of in a nanny type of way a week or two, possibly a month (or whatever God gives us) this summer. 
I have heard that she is believed to be pregnant, expecting in December and I mainly want her to know that she has options.  She can still finish school, become a wonderful single mom, share her blessing with someone else or whatever.  I just want to be there for her.  I want her to know that the only place she needs to look for that unconditional, unwavering love is to God.  He always has His arms wide open for her.  I don't want her to end up like my parents (not going there today either) or another 16/17(?) year old mom ending up with multiple babies, dead beat daddies, waiting for her check in the mail.
Please lift her (and us) up in prayer.  Let me open my ears to what God wants me to do.  Let her heart (and her family's hearts) be open to the possibilities.  Pray that God's will be done - THAT is what matters!
Thank you!!!
LuvNHugz - SupportNPrayerz
DV - NMV

Friday, May 20, 2011

Take Five on Friday

Okay, Thanx to Gypsy Mama and Gitz, I'm inspired to take my Friday five and see where it goes.
Changing Seasons
It's a beautiful thing. I was reminded last weekend at WOF that much of our time is spent wanting. You know, when we have spring we want the warm days of summer and playing in the water.  When we have summer we want the cool crisp of fall when we run in t-shirts during the day and don sweatshirts in the evening. Then we're anxious for fall to be done because we look forward to the holidays and the fresh winter wonderlands. We once again tire of the cold and snow and beg for spring to thaw us out.
It is such madness! A madness I wouldn't trade for anything, I love the marching on through time. The way that we are reminded each year of planting and sowing, new life and death.
Oh, time's up.
Enjoy!!
DV - NMV

Thursday, May 19, 2011

My Puzzle

My life is a beautiful puzzle! Puzzles fascinate me because you have all of these little pictures that when you put them together creates this fantastic portrait.  My life is like that.  I can look back through all of my days and each moment is this perfect little picture telling about what my life has been.  Connecting pictures together starts to show the portrait of a year or a story of a friendship, experience or even about who I am as a daughter, sister, friend, wife and mother.


I’ve spent much of the past week looking at my puzzle.  Someday I will write the story of me down, just to have it.  Today is not that day.  Today I want to write about some other pieces of my life that God has designed and cut out.  I attended my first Women of Faith conference this past weekend.  I have considered going for several years, but I don’t go to things like that alone, nor was I ready for such an experience in years past.  It was amazing!  Anyway, on to my puzzle.  As I reflect upon my weekend and in turn my life I realize that it is a beautiful portrait.  I’m amazed that I can look back and see exactly how God has lead me in every moment, even if I didn’t see it right then.


Just take the last three years.  I was introduced to Julie Wiemann and a BeautiControl SPA that my dear friend Glenda didn’t want to go to alone.  What neither of us realized that night is that it would be a night to forever alter my life, key piece of the puzzle here.  I only just realized how key of a piece it was recently.  I was pregnant with my duo and thought it would be great fun to have Julie come to my house to pamper me, and my friends.  About a year and a half later Julie gifted me an amazing opportunity to join her team.  Another invaluable section of my puzzle was started that day.  Julie has held my hand in sharing this wonderful experience with women (PS-I don’t do “girly”, so it is quite funny) and has become a faith-mama to me.  This experience isn’t about doing the SPAs and making money, those are the bonuses.  Joining the BC family has been one of the greatest blessings in my life!  I look back today and see faith, love, comfort, grace and peace dancing across the backgrounds of my pieces, these things weren’t there before.


Let me explain.  My puzzle pieces didn’t always fit together.  They didn’t necessarily even look nice together some days.  I have been attending church every week for at least six years, helping with VBS, nursery, sending my kiddos to the Christian School and attempting to do my part as much as I can.  I have felt like I was missing out on so much, I didn’t know what, I just felt kind of hollow some days.  Julie and BC came into my life and started filling up that hollowness.  I felt love whenever I walked through the door of Julie’s home.  I was around people that walked in faith and really showed me that you can let God take control.  I have met people that I don’t know how, if or when I would have met them otherwise.  I have stepped outside of my comfort zone to put these pieces together as God wants me to because with Him I can do anything.  The pieces that have been made in the last two years have not all been pretty.  My parents are divorcing and there is a lot of anger and drama broiling around us still making some of those dark and haunting pieces.  The beautiful part is that God has brought me all these amazing people and experiences that help me through this.  I have a best friend, Carma, I can call in an instant for support.  Julie, an amazing lady, that I know is also just a phone call away and will lift me up in prayer whenever I need it.


It is so much more than just these two women or even any of the others in my life.  It’s the guidance by God that has led me here.  He knows all my pieces He knows that it takes the dark ugly ones to make the bright and beautiful ones to stand out.  He knows that on some days these pieces don’t fit together but someday they will.  He guides me to that place of peace where I can spread all the pieces out and see what beauty there is in the puzzle of my life.  A puzzle that is missing pieces, looks like a jumbled mess with no direction but will some day come together all complete, only because He has designed it to be that way.  What more can I ask for?  I will keep taking these faithsteps along the path He is lighting before me.  That is the only place I need to be, He’ll take care of the details, He’ll open new doors, He’ll provide the shoulders I need to lean on and the hands I shall hold in prayer.  They’re all the pieces in my puzzle, He’ll provide it all, I just gotta keep watching, waiting and walking.  The footprints I leave behind are the pieces that show me where I’ve been, showing me the beauty in my puzzled life.


LuvNHugz
DV - NMV

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Lead Me

Yes, Lord, lead me.  I attended my first Women if Faith conference this weekend and am amazed at the love that filled that building.  7,000 women coming together to praise Him.  Coming together not just to learn new things but to be reminded of what we can have every day. 
I was blessed to be there with three fabulous ladies - Carma, Nancy and Nicole.  I take the time now to thank them for holding my hand through this, hugging me tight and laughing while the tears fell.  I dream of bringing more of my faith sisters with me next time, but for today I thank you, God, for giving me these three.  It was as simple as looking through the program Friday morning to see the names Selah and Angie Smith on the itinerary.  I was excited to see the other names listed, but I connected to these two names specifically and as the weekend went on and I was part of this amazing one time experience I was reminded (again, yes, sometimes it takes a while) that He knows what He is doing.  He holds me in His grasp leading me right where He wants me to go.
So, lead me, Lord.  As I stumble along in my steps of faith, leaving the footprints along my path, lead me.  It is all within my reach, all within my grasp, all because You love me, yes me.  I just need to ask to receive, remembering that through it all you have the plan anyway, always knowing what I need even before I do.
Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a person's heart,
but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.
Ah, I get it.  I found this verse early in the week, (possibly from Ann - Thanx!) I was not familiar with these words, though I should be.  This is one of the concepts that God has been teaching me over the last 12 years.  I might make plans but God's plans, purpose and quite seriously, His sense of humor prevail regardless of what I do.  It is something I walk away from this weekend taking great comfort in.  In knowing that He has got it covered.  I love when my wonderful husband can do that in the heart of the moment when I don't know what to do, so the comfort I have in knowing that God is doing that for me every moment of every day brings me an immeasurable peace.
I am so blessed, so very blessed.  AMEN
LuvNHugz ~ SupportNPrayerz
Deo Volente

NMV

I Wonder

On the "whys" of life sometimes.  I know that it's all under control and the Lord's plan is working out just as it's supposed to.  I just can't help but hear the why or why not questions roll around in my head.
I'm not talking about the whiny 'Why me?' questions, I'm thinking more why do things happen the way they do?
I started writing this about the same time the foundation was shaking in my grandparents' life.  My grandma Betty suffered a stroke Friday afternoon.  With God's grace she drove herself to the clinic for a check-up quite possibly in the midst of this event.  Since she was alone we don't really know the details, but what we do know is that what was wrong was recognized and they sent her to the hospital and called my grandpa Joe and he said to send her on to Rochester, so the life flight crew did their job.  It is the moments of life like those that I am rocked by the tragedies that life can bring us, but also amazed at the way that God works.
He truly does have the details under control.  I don't need to worry about what to do, when to do it, where to go.  He has me where He wants me, will direct me where I need to be.  I shall rest secure in the knowledge that He has under control, so I don't need to.
Part 2: I started this post on April 29. Adding to it over the rest of that weekend.  One week - yes, one week - later Betty was sent home from Rochester.  On one Friday she is a stroke victim that we have no idea what to expect with.  A week later she is home, doing great, a little humbled for the experience but no worse for the wear.  How awesome is our God??  He amazes me every day!!
Thanx for being amazing and supporting me too!!

DV - NMV