hmmm...

Sometimes I just wish we could see the future, don't you? It seems as though it would make today easier, doesn't it? I've been full of many questions and prayers lately for things in the coming days, weeks, months...if only I could just know now what was going to happen, it would make it so much easier now. So for today, I will cling to the one thing I know for sure about the future...mine is secure in the hands of God for eternity...that's enough for me to know! :)

Things forgotten

I woke up this morning thinking about all the difficult things that we go through on this earth. Sometimes things seem harder than anything we think we can get through, yet our wonderful Heavenly Father has a plan. I know that I've been through things before that at the time, I didn't handle well, I thought it was just far more than I would ever be able to get through and yet I continued to stay faithful to Him and then something strange happens...you wake up one morning and realize you made it through and suddenly, it doesn't seem as big as it once was. Somethings I can't even remember the details of now that were all consuming to my life at one point. God can take things from us when we give them to Him and he really can erase it. It's kind of like a bad dream in the middle of the night that wakes you up....at the time it seems horrible and you can't go back to sleep for a long time, but then in the morning all of a sudden you can't even remember the details and it seems a little silly and not so big.
I'm thankful for every trial I've endured so far because they've make me who I am and they've pushed me to fall deeper and deeper in love with my Lord and Savior! :)
I'm working on getting to a place in my life that the first thing I do in any circumstance, good or bad, is talk to God before I talk to anyone else. Sometimes that is the only talking I need to do. I'm learning more and more that He is enough and He already has everything worked out for my good....after all Romans 8:28 says: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
So won't you join me today in loving Him more deeply and trusting our lives to Him no matter what our circumstances?
It enables me to smile and feel peace and joy today and everyday! I hope that you feel it too!
Blessings!!

Inspired

Well today I watched the movie Julie and Julia with my mom and I'm even more inspired to write a cookbook. I wonder how long it will really take, will I be able to do it? If I do, would anyone really care or want one? It's not so much about that as it is about the fact that I come from a long line of good cooks and I want to put so many of the recipes from my grandmothers and my mom in it, as well as my own original ones...but more than that, I want whoever reads the book to put it down knowing more about my grandmothers, and my whole family as well as feeling loved by God because I want this to be way more than a traditional cookbook....
I know that it will take alot of time and patience....we'll see what happens, but for today, I'm inspired!

Texas Football

I've always thought that Texas is the best state and have been thankful to be from here. I've moved all around the state and have found that for the most part, the people are friendly and helpful. There are lots of God-fearing people in Texas and that's a good thing. But another thing that I've noticed is that football is very important here. In highschool I was in the band and went to all the football games because I had to be there to march. I probably would've gone to all the home games even if I wasn't in the band, just because that's where everyone was on Friday nights in the fall. Then I married a basketball coach, but in Texas if you're a coach at a small school, you're a football coach too. So I spent the next 20 years or so going to football games on Friday nights, only if the weather was good or if it was at home, but found lots of good excuses to stay home many of those Friday nights. But I definitely went only to visit with my friends, not to watch the game, because besides a touchdown or interception, I knew nothing about football. I discovered that some Texas football coaches take this game so far as to deflate all basketballs during football season and run basketball players out of the gym. So I realized that football is important in Texas. It wasn't until 3 1/2 years ago that I got a different taste for this game. Its when my friend Amy moved to town and started asking me to pray for her nephew, Colt McCoy. Now praying...that's something I understand and can do. So I decided to watch Colt play one day soon after, because afterall, if I'm praying for someone, I'd like to see them and see how they're doing. Well, something happened to me, because I began wanting to watch all his games and even on occasion stood up and yelled at the TV....not sure what got into me, but I always looked forward to hearing Colt speak in his postgame interviews. It just made me proud to call him brother when I would hear him speak so humbly of our Lord and how he glorified Him everytime so sincerely.
I'm sure most everyone has heard of Colt McCoy by now and most of you have heard about or seen his emotional final postgame interview of his college career. I'm honored to have been praying for him these past few years and again am so proud of the Christian young man he is and the example that he continues to set for my sons and so many others. I pray that we all can be as bold as Colt in our faith and never be ashamed to speak out and give God glory for the things He does for us so generously. Colt hasn't proved to be one of those athletes that only gives God glory when things are going his way, but also when things don't go the way that he would've wanted. I learned a little more about football over the past few years, but I learned even more about living outloud for the Lord through the example of one young man, Colt McCoy.

Thankful for answered prayers!

This was April 2007

"Micah, you have enough hair for 3 people!" my mom said yesterday to my youngest son Micah. He's almost 14 and one of the funniest people I know. He makes me laugh outloud every day and I'm so thankful for that! You may not think having "enough hair for 3 people" is that big of a deal, but if you know anything about Micah you do. Just a little over a year ago, he was completely bald. He had something called alopecia. The doctors said things like, "this is a really severe case", "we don't usually see much progress in kids his age with alopecia", "we can try steroid injections to the scalp" Wasn't looking real good, but I knew Who had the answers. I was thankful all along that it wasn't a life threatening disease, but it was sad to see a 6th grader go through such a thing. But Micah handled it so well, that it helped me to handle it well. Finally in April 08, he went ahead and shaved off what was left of his hair. A couple of friends came out and shaved theirs too! That was amazing! He decided he was finally ready for the steriod shots, which scared me, but I made the appointment and we PRAYED WITHOUT CEASING!! Some of you prayed with us and I thank you! As the time approached for his apointment, he was getting some hair back. The doctors took a look and said, "Wow! What have you been doing? We never see this kind of results in kids with alopecia." I said, "We've prayed." I made sure I said it at least 2 more times. They said, "He doesn't need shots!" Thank you, God! I know that we don't get everything we pray for, and I'm okay with that...hey even Jesus didn't get everything He asked for when He asked for God to "take this cup from me" So why should I think that I should get all my prayers answered the way I want them...but I am very thankful when God answers them with a big fat YES! Especially when it comes to my kids! I don't want to take for granted that Micah has enough hair for 3 people now...God is good and I give Him all the glory for the healing He brought about in Micah's life!! So today, be thankful for your blessings, too!

Wedding Cake!

Here is my latest cake...my talented mom made the stand for it! It all turned out beautiful!