It is finally cold for Florida standards, and personally I love it. I do not want to go into summer/hurricane season without feeling like I had NO winter at all. Thankfully it was beautiful Saturday, the day of my garage sale. The sale went very well, thank you for asking. I sold half of it and donated the rest of it. After I left the donation place, I drove straight over to Lowe’s and bought some primer and a can of paint.

I have (well had) one wall in my bedroom that was sponge painted different colors. I liked it, but I doubt when selling a house it is good idea to leave it that way. So I primed the wall Saturday afternoon (yes after the garage sale, yes I was crazy and very tired). Then after church on Sunday I painted the wall the same color as the rest of the walls. Now I just have the trim to do. So much to do, so little time. I try to only keep the “next step” in mind so I don’t get overwhelmed. Manly man has been putting a lot of hours in at work, so I have been left to ‘get the house ready to sell’.

Tomorrow is my youngest son’s skills assessment test for reading. I am excited about this new adventure. We are right in the middle of conducting our science fair experiment for middle son, and oldest son has a large paper due at the beginning of February.

Also, basketball is going full force. I have to brag a little bit so indulge me…. Middle son, who does not care for basketball to much, has really blossomed this year. So much so, that for three games in a row (THREE!) he was the one to make the game winning shot. One game it was after triple over-time. I tell ya, this is stuff that sends a Mother to the hospital. Triple overtime about killed me. But talk about exciting.

So we get in the car and I said, “So when did ‘kick-butt’ son decide to show up?” My quick witted middle son replied, “Well ‘kick-butt son shows up on the court, ‘lazy son’ shows up at school.” I laughed my head off at his come back. But then said, well if you get to lazy in school, there will be no basketball. I don’t have to worry too much with this one; he is in the gifted classes and aces whatever he does. (and NO he did not get that from me, but from his smart daddy!).

I am going to be taking a bit of a break this week. I am weary; I have a lot going on with the kids and with the house, therefore that translates into “too many ball in the air at one time.” I will be visiting and commenting on blogs, because you guys help me keep my sanity, and I will be here via email. But it may be a little on the “slow side this week” on my own blog.

Hope you have a great week.

Tags: Family, painting

I make you think (”Most Thought-Provoking”)! Praise God. I definitely feel the love.

Thank you!!!

Oh, this is so exciting. This is new to me, but I love sharing the love. And February is all about LOVE. Yippeee, I get to nominate a bunch of you.

Click on the picture to find out more.

A good article about both coaches:

First Black Super Bowl Coaches Say ‘The Lord Set this Up’

So many times without realizing it, you think you can do it all on your own. I have worked hard with my youngest son with his reading, I have done all that I can do with getting teachers involved, they are doing their best. But there is still a struggle. Reading is so important, I don’t want him feeling like he is always “behind”. So Grandma and Grandpa gave us a gift certificate to a popular learning center to have the additional help he needs. Somewhere deep inside me, I feel like a failure, that I did not do enough when I should have. I guess I could be totally honest and say I don’t think I read to him as much as I did my two older sons. Somethings you beat yourself up for afterwards.

Anyways, I JUST got off the phone. Made the apt for his skill assessment test, and I open up my email and see this:

Elisa said:

Laurel, you truly are a Godly Gal and I have to thank you officially by giving you an internet bouquet of a Godly Gal Stamp.

Can I tell you how much YOU GUYS bless me. I know it is a God thing, you don’t know all the specifics going on in my life, I really had not talked about youngest sons reading. But it is like God giving me an affirmation saying,”hey it is going to be ok”.

Choaked with tears I say…thank you.

1. This week I am thankful God never lets me go, even when I get off track.

2. I am thankful He will take over my worries and stress if I cry out to him.

3. I am thankful for another birthday for my brother and sister. Mom and Dad’s children are now all officially over 30 (sorry Mom).

4. I am thankful I am able to have a nice garage sale on Saturday to get rid of a lot of “stuff” and to earn some money to purchase paint, so I can begin painting on the inside of the house.

5. I am thankful and privileged to pray for the requests listed on CWO’s prayer page. And know I do pray daily for them.

I pray you have a Thankful Thursday, head on over to Sting My Heart.

PS - If you don’t hear from me much except for Saturday over at Laced With Grace, I am getting ready for a big garage sale on Saturday, lots of stuff to go through. Now head over to Sting My Heart.

Thirteen good reads, in case you missed them (in no certain order, just as I find them):

1. Shalee askes, “What is really Beauty?”

2. Cyndi talks about what it means to prosper.

3. Jennifer shares the support she has be receiving from her church while her husband is away, this one brought tears to my eyes.

4. Antique Mommy shares that some of the best laid out plans, just don’t go as planned.

5. Chris reminds us of the importance of little things.

6. Erna reminds me there is still joy in the midst of turmoil.

7. Barbara reminds me there is a rainbow at the end of each storm.

8. Katrina shares a struggle of her’s that I think many of us can relate to!

9. Darlene shares her son’s wisdom with us. (funny!)

10. Head on over here and wish her a Happy Birthday… (it was Wednesday)

11. Linda shares with us a struggle I think we all deal with.

12. Now this is a boy after my own heart, and this would be the kind of boy my sister would have =)

13. Sissy shares from the heart, something we all tend to struggle with. I love reading her heart in the.

Ok , because I love this so much I have to share it…go read Buttprints in the sand

This Meme began with my sweet friend Lindsey, but I was tagged by my other sweet friend Cyndi

This is a NEW meme to help get to know your bloggin’ buds!!!

Here is how it works….

Here is a list of categories add the titles and links to previous posts that you feel fit these descriptions… and tell why if yah wanna!

Funny:

Because laughter is good medicine….

I will let you laugh at my expense.

Manly Man and I went to look at a house that was up for sale. In the last several months we have driven by the house several times. We wanted to see if it was still for sale. There was never anybody home, and a lock box was on the front door. So when we drove by again, I said to manly man “lets just stop and walk around the property, no one lives there”. Well guess what……. Someone lives there.

Ok in all honesty we did ring the door bell and knock on the door before we started to peer into the windows. And I don’t mean I peered in just one window, oh no, I tried every door I looked into every window (granted there was barely NO furniture). Then right before we were ready to leave I see the window blinds open and shut, and I just froze! Then this gentleman comes walking out the front door. I apologized profusely, he was very nice. I guess he just got home when he saw our car in the drive way. I was beyond humiliated. But he did give us a tour of the house, I thanked him for not calling the cops on us. I am still sitting here embarrassed, I guess I learned my lesson.

Originally posted: http://lrlwreath.blogspot.com/2006/10/because-laughter-is-good-medicine.html

Serious:

“There are two kinds of people:
those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’
and those to whom God says,
‘All right, then, have it your way.’”
~ C.S. Lewis ~

My husband I have been house searching. We know we are going to move, but we are waiting for God’s word to say “go” (which more or less we know it is not until next year). Well I made the mistake of looking before God said “go”. I found the “perfect” house for my family. How could God NOT think it was the perfect house for us?

It was bigger than we could imagine, we could get a great deal because hubby and the builder are great friends. Just like they say when you go to buy a new car “don’t ride in it until you know you are going to buy it”.

Well what did I do, I ran, not walked to the sales office and so the sales lady could open the house for us to “tour”. Big mistake (heck I even had a camera in hand so I could go home and decorate the rooms in my mind). I was stepping further into something I knew I did not have the Lord’s blessing on. Oh but the house was beautiful. It even had a nice playroom on the bottom floor for all my soon to be teenagers could hang out. Oh, and Lord the church functions I could have here. How can this not be your will? If I let go of this, it will never come around again. But I knew I did not have the Lord’s blessing. The Lord (way down in my “I am not listening compartment” said this is not the house for you).

When reality began to hit me, and I knew (really knew) the Lord was not going to budge to my pleadings and scheming. I knew if the Lord could not bless this house I did not want it. Did I go peacefully? No! I cried and cried, and said you always take away my “hope”. I opened up my bible in somewhat frustration (knowing all along I was going to follow God’s word, but we need to hash some things out first, basically I needed to vent before I could move forward). And the verse I opened up to was…

Is. 66:1(b)-2(a)

“Where is the house you will build for me?
Where will my resting place be? (Yes Lord that is what I have been asking!!)

2 Has not my hand made all these things,
and so they came into being?” (oh, well, yes…..)

The Holy Spirit confirmed that Jesus was listening, he hears my every word and prayer, but the Lord replied “has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?”.

I felt the Lord was reaffirming me that yes, I hear you, and it will come into being, but NOT RIGHT NOW!”

Now I know in reality Isaiah 66 was not written so I could know about my house, but the Lord lead me there so I can honestly say “Thy will be done”.

Originally posted here

Ugly:

And this is why NO ONE wants to volunteer….

I am the PTA treasurer, I received a call from the Vice-President, who I shall say is high strung on a normal day. I get this message, “Laurel you need to come by tomorrow with all your financial, the school board is really upset.”.

Ok deep breath, I try to call her back. She is in a meeting. Of course.

So I call her house and leave a message.

Then I go through E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G with a fine tooth comb trying to find out what they are “upset” about. I had a CPA review everything at the end of the year, and she said everything was perfect and I am well organized. So what could be the problem. Well I was stressing alllllll day.

I balanced every bank statement. Attached every recipet to every statement…etc….

Finally at 6pm (she originally called around 1pm) I find out the bank just needed our Tax ID #.

I could have reached through the phone…so what did I do…

My youngest son’s best friend (who lives in the neighborhood) was playing in our house. I walked out and saw he has his pants down below his little bum, like a gangster. Well he caught me on a bad day, I took one look and snapped “Young man if you are in MY HOUSE your pants will be pulled up all the way.” I went back into my bedroom, little friend (9 yrs old) went home for dinner.

I feel so bad, I could have been nicer to him (saying the same thing), but I took out my PTA frustration.

Originally posted: here

All About Me:

1. What do you like most about where you live?

I live in a small historical town right in the middle of Florida. We get the small town feel, but are near all the “big town stuff” (Orlando, Daytona, etc…) In the small town you feel like you have a bigger say on who is elected, you get to know the teachers, and they get to know you. My husband can say he knows the mayor, the city council people, etc.. And my kids know the teachers know us (so better behave =). I grew up in a large town and it took awhile for me to get use to it, but now I would not go back. I do hope my kids get the chance to live in a large town sometime in their life, but right now this is the perfect place for us to raise our kids.

2. Is there anything strange about where you live?

You mean besides me? Beside the fact we get hurricanes? I can not really think of something “strange”. I love this town.

3. What’s one of your all-time favorite music album, and why?

Oh man, I have to pick ONE. I guess I would say Amy Grant’s “Father’s Eyes” I use to sing that all the time growing up. I use to sing every one of those songs, in the shower, at the mirror, in my room…

4. Did you have a passion for something as a kid that you still have now?
(If not - what is one of your passions now?)

As a kid my passion was torturing my sister =)) As an adult I now love my sister, and my passion has become being used by God and letting my life, words, and life experiences be a beacon for God.

5. What do you like most about having a blog?

Wonderful community of believers. Some I am growing closer and closer to, and some I am enjoying getting to know. An outlet for my thoughts, since I am so bad at journaling. And a way my long distant family can check in and see that I am still alive and kicking.

Wow and if you read all of that I will be impressed =) Here was a blast from my not so distant past.

What is your blast from the past?

Barb?

Erica?

Our church had the wonderful opportunity to have Dr. Alvin Reid come and be a guest speaker. But he was not just the guest speaker; he went with the youth (high school and middle school) all weekend for Discipleship Now. My son was one of the youth that went. After hearing Dr. Reid preach Sunday morning I was jealous my son got to spend all weekend with him. I got this quote from his sermon. His sermon stayed with me all day and gave me a lot to “chew” on.

“You act more like a Christian by your influence on the lost, then the saved people you impress.” - Dr. Alvin Reid

If I were to ask the waiters at the restaurants you visit the most often, or the grocery store people you see almost daily, or the other stores you like to frequent, what could they tell me about you? If you are served a meal that is not exactly as you ordered it, what is your reaction? If they know you are a Christian, how do you tip? What impression do you leave on them? If there is a long line at the grocery store, and you are in the line stating 10 items or less and the person ahead of you clearly has over 10 items. Do they hear heavy sighing from you?

There are certain things every non-believer can tell right off the bat about a Christian. One, do we really care about them as a person. Or are we just offering them up Christianese lip service? I can tell you, even if they have never been in a church before they can tell the difference. How do we treat them? Secondly, do you actually believe what you talk about? You talk about how Christ forgives all sins, you share about his love, but do you really believe what you say? Do you live your life like you believe what you say? Lastly, a non believer can tell if the hand of God is on your life. They can tell if something is different about you, they may not be able to know what it is, but there is just something different.

Many times I believe we get too wrapped up in “looking good” to our fellow Christians. We have all the latest devotional books, we have the fish bumper sticker on our car, and we say all the right words. We don’t want to be seen with others who may tarnish our image. If you are seen hanging out with “Samaritans” then you must be a Samaritan yourself or at least believe the same things they do, right?

Wrong.

Christ sought “hanging out” with the Samaritans. He loved them, he was kind, and he was real. You can be all those things and hang out with Samaritans. Yes, you still need to be feed in the world, yes I believe belonging to a church or a support group is very important in the accountability factor. I am not diminishing any of that.

The Lord gave each of us individual personalities, and with those personality different ministries. I love the Christian Bikers that come to Daytona Beach for Bike week to show Christ to other bikers. Also Christian Bikers have a real ministry in reaching out to people in prison, many of them had bikes or really enjoy bikes. So finding that common ground with the lost is so important. And to find that common ground, you need to get to know them and them you. No matter what your focus is or who your audience is, you need be true to who you are and the ministry God has given you (not worried about what others think, because remember you will be rejected one time or another sometimes that rejection can come from fellow believers).

So don’t jump to conclusions if you see me hanging out with a group who looks a little questionable, for they are the ones that need me most. And I hope the waiters/waitress’, or the baggers, or the sales people can all say, “there is just something about her I like, it is something that comes from within.” For right there would be my opening line to share exactly where that comes from.

Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

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