Entering the Courts To Praise Him

Yesterday the text came.  One you don't want to read. One that was very hard for my friend to write out.  The man who taught me, in my early married years, how to enter into the Holy of Holies with my Praise and Worship, had been called home by God.  He was a young man in his 50's and God took him home in just seconds, while he was at home.  My heart just broke.  My mind started to ask "why?'   Then every scripture I have memorized came to mind.  I saw that person again in my mind.  I haven't seen him in decades, but I could still see his smile. I could still hear his voice. I could still remember his teaching about entering into the Holy of Holies with our Praise and Worship. I could hear him leading us to the throne of God with our Praise.

This video today is for those who no matter what trial you are going through you will understand that He is there!  That nothing that happens to us is meaningless.  We should not lose heart.  Preach to  yourself His word!  I need to preach to myself His word.  I need to enter into the Court of Praise.  I will still worship., "though you slay me".

This is dedicated to the family and friend's who are grieving.  As Benjamin held me while I was crying, "Momma, you will see him in heaven one day."  I will see him in heaven.  He will be leading Praise and Worship for our King and I will be dancing before the throne with the music.  I can only Imagine.

How Exciting, but No Time!

When my children were little I thought, well when they get older, I will get to do that.

They got older and I started driving them all over the country.  So I thought, well when they 

move out I will be able to do that.

They moved out!...well most of them have and what do I say now?

One day when I am older...maybe I will have time for that.

So was my feelings when I came around the corner to see these!

Rolls and rolls of books!  Rolls and Rolls of inspiration!

Oh my...look what all I could do!

All the things I want to learn to do!

How could I even pick which one to start with?

I am growing older and still can't seem to find the time. I now need glasses to see the details.  I now have a                              job that takes me from the home.  I now am too tired in the evening.                                                   Sounds like I am making more excuses.

Are there things you keep thinking..........one day I will have time for that?

Maybe this is the year I learn to carve out some time.

If not, maybe I will learn to be at peace with this season of life.  

Don't we all think it is always greener on the other side of the fence?

I hope you have taken the time to carve out time for some of those things you thought you would do one day, when time allowed.  Let's make some time!!  

What Does Your Design Say About You?

I have been busy shopping.

Yes, shopping.

Although I wished that shopping was for myself, it is not!

Shopping for a client, as I help to pull her vision into reality, has keep me hopping.

As I was looking for pieces for this home I enjoyed taking a test.

Now I must say, I have NEVER enjoyed test, however, this test was fun.

The test ask you questions, then through the questions they show you your decorating style and what it says about you.  Now that was fun to see.

My lifestyle chooses said the following and then  gave me my decorating style.

It was pretty right on.  In fact, I had just told a friend, I would love a red sofa, and guess what it suggested for my den?  RED SOFA!!

I found out that I am a Transitional -Traditional style of design.

The comments were - You are self-assured, and balanced, passion and  purpose.  You are devoted to your family and friends, and enjoy entertaining at home.

You have a sense of history, yet you embrace the present.  You exude with warmth with traditional values.

Organization and structure are important to you.

All of that from just taking a design style test.  I was shocked at how much information they could pull from my answers.

Go here and take the fun test yourself...see how accurate or off, it might be for you.

You might find some new decorating ideas for your home.

http://www.havertys.com/View_designquiz/quiz

Well I am off to work!  Part is fun and part is just hard work!  Isn't that what life is all about?

Flowers Fill the Spot

I have to admit I am pure Texan.  Which means I have lived all my life in a warm climate.  This winter you wouldn't think I lived in a warm climate.  This winter has brought record breaking temperatures below freezing.  It also brought the first in my life-time ice storm which literally froze us in our homes for days. Our utility bill shows we have experienced winter this year.  Yes, I am sure very mild compared to northern states, but for this Texan, I would call it WINTER.

So, as January continues on, I am already screaming "Spring".  

Yep, enough of winter for this Texas girl.

Since I am not God, and who would want me to be, spring might be awhile.

However, some sunshine through flowers came my way and lifted up the cold.

 First, they came from my son for my birthday.

Second, they came in the form of blooming bulbs from a girlfriend.

Then Cindy of Letters from Midlife sent me her beautiful note cards.  Her work is wonderful and I will so enjoy using her cards.

Thanks girls...you made my day.

These came delivered to my door.  Now I can't remember every having flowers delivered to my door.

My daughter and grandson brighten up my evening...a thank you for helping out the first day of her return to work. I kept David and helped to organize the house.

Now I am agreeing with all of Pom Pom's Ponderings post on having flowers in the house.

They sure bring Spring around much sooner.

God didn't have to make such beauty for us to enjoy.  This warm weather girl is so glad He did.

But I AM a MOM and Even A Grand Mommy!

I just don't get it. I truly don't.  It seems that society doesn't want us to look like Moms, and we are biting in on the propaganda. 

Mom jeans is a humorously pejorative term for a specific type of fit of women's jeans, considered to be both unfashionable, and unflattering to the wearer's bodyshape. This style usually consists of a high waist (rising above the belly button), making the buttocks appear disproportionately longer, larger, and flatter than they otherwise might. It also tends to have excess space in the zipper/crotch and leg areas. The jeans are usually in a solid, light-blue color, with no form of stone washing or fading. Other attributes of the style often seen are pleats, tapered legs, and elastic waistbands. The style is often accompanied by a blouse or shirt that is tucked into the jeans. This style of jeans was popular with women in the United States until the mid-1990s, when lower rise jeans started to become fashionable. (google source, wikipedia)

I mean...I earned my stretch marks.  I earned my wrinkles. I earned my grey-hair.  I earned my thunder-thighs.  Yet, every time I turn around I am hearing about not looking like a Mom.  Even new moms don't want to be seen with diaper bags, they have to have something for the baby necessities that doesn't suggest they are a mom. Now what is funny is, doesn't that baby on your hip yell, "MOM"?

Okay, I don't need to look like a hag, but I am proud of the fact that I have survived parenting for over 30 years and birthed six children from my womb.  I can now brag about being a Grand Mommy, and therefore, if there is anything I wear, or do, or buy or say that suggest the journey I have taken, well bring it on!  I may not enjoy wearing the jeans from the 80's, but to warn me about "not wearing mommy jeans", well I would say that is the wrong wording.  Let's call them "out of style"  I haven't owned jeans like that in years.  Even with my larger body I had given those up.

Just google "mommy" jeans and your computer will go on overload with advice to not look like a mom.

http://www.oprah.com/style/Denim-Dos-and-Donts/5

Just open up Yahoo and all you see is bodies without a "mom trace" that would suggest the birthing years or with titles on how they look better now than they did before they had children.  Then you have the "hot grandmothers".  I am sure neither of my grandmothers worried about being "hot".  I mean, whose eye are you trying to attractive? The only eye's I want to attractive is my own silver-headed husband.  He still view me through early married eyes and in no way has every!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, made me feel my "mommy" body looked un-attractive. I also don't want to hear my grandson's describing me as their "hot" Grand Mommy.

So I will say, do and be the Grand Mommy I am....I have earned it.  Don't plan on seeing me on the latest run-way, my thunder thighs have never allowed me to walk on that floor.  I will, however, exercise, try to eat right, and wear a style of clothes that doesn't scream....YOUTH.  

Come on ladies..............can't we grow old gracefully and leave the SEXY for our husbands?  Maybe if us "wiser" women would let go of this new "don't look like a mom" mentality then the younger women wouldn't have such insecurities about their looks, which leads to so many problems.  Just saying...from the one who is going to wear "Grand Mommy" jeans proudly.

It Was Towed!

I wasn't looking for it...

I hadn't even thought about it.

My "word for the year" wasn't even on my mind.

Then this picture came and I heard my "word" loud and clear.

Tears started to roll down my eyes...

I told myself..."compose yourself, you look like a blooming idiot."

The truth is... the things of God usually look foolish to the world.

This was the original car (a 1971 Mustang) which was bought in 2000 by our oldest son...Kenny (now 30), Allen (now 27) and Stephen (now 18).

Now why in the world would a old car being towed make me find my "word" or bring tears?

Because behind this car is a veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery long story.

This car was being towed to be restored.

It has been an over-a-decade-long project that my boys started undertaking in their teens.

It once drove... before it caught on fire.

They have all set in the seat of this car...dreaming of the possibilities.

Now, our recently-married, second-born son and his wife are making the dream finally come to pass.

My mind thought back over last year's "word".  I could never have imaged what the year 2013 would hold when my understated word, "transition" was picked.

So, as the word rolled over in my mind... and my thoughts... and my emotions...I stopped.

Instead of trying to figure it out, I went the the source...THE WORD of God.

My 2014 "WORD" - RESTORATION!!

His Daddy started the project....his Uncle is going to finish the dream.

My mind needed to stop on what all God meant by that word for this year.  My flesh cries out for many things to be restored.  As I read through His word, I knew that the restoration was to first start internally.

Psalms 51:12:

"Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation

And sustain me with a willing spirit

Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways"

Jeremiah 30:17-22:

"For I will restore you to health

And I will heal you of your wounds, declares the Lord"...

Each scripture was the Lord telling His  people what He would do, not something in their own efforts. He stated, "I will restore," over and over again through these verses.

Psalms 80:

".....stir up Your power

And come to save us!

O God, restore us

And cause Your face to shine upon us, 

and we will be saved" 

With the word restoration, I got the words "good deeds" and "the written word."

Later, I looked at the three and saw they needed to come in this order: 

First, The Written Word.......then, Good Deeds......then, Restoration!

So, my header shows my thoughts for this coming year.  I look into the future, having learned from my past, but not turning back.  I will be writing this year!  I will read His written word and put words on paper this year...allowing Him to be the author.  I am going to dance with my silver-haired husband.  It is time to bring this relationship back to the front burner.  I look forward to the Lord walking this word out in my life...

and I hope He'll do the same for you.

This Year is the Number 8!

The first week of January we celebrate birthdays in our house...three birthdays!  This year our birthdays have the number 8 in common.  I have always been interested in some of the meanings others give to numbers.  So in celebration of 8, I am listing some of what I found.

• The eight beatitudes of the sermon on the mountain. (Mt 5,3-11)
• The eight sentences of the Magnificat or Hymn of Mary. (Lk 1,46-56)
• Jesus was circumcised eight days after his birth, according to the law established. (Lv 12,3; Gn 17,12 and 21,4; Lk 2,21)
• The eight steps of the staircase leading to the external square of the Ezekiel's temple. (Ezk 40,26)
• The eight creative words of God in six days, in Genesis chapter 1, verses 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26.
• The eight persons who were saved from the Flood in Noah's Ark. (Gn 7,13)

Stephen turned 18!!  Happy Birthday Precious Brown-Eyed boy.  He is the only one of our six children with brown eyes.  When he was little I made up a song I sang to him about him being my brown-eyed-baby-boy.  He is not longer the baby of the family, but he will always be my brown-eyed baby boy...even if he towers over me with the height of 6'4".

Benjamin turns 8 today!  He had a wonderful birthday party with his friends at the Wild West Show in Fort Worth, Texas.  He will remain the baby of the family, but at age 8 he is loving his new title of Uncle Ben.

I turn 53 on the 8th of January.  5 + 3 = 8.  So I have will share the number 8 with my boys, if you add my numbers, on the the 8th day of January.

Somewhere in this month I plan to re-do my header for my blog.  I hope to write about what the Lord is showing me, but  for now I just need to keep up with work and home.  I am still learning how to juggle all these new adventures.  What an exciting year this will be.  God will once again take the pen from my hand and write my story.