Merry Christmas Eve

I just wanted to take a quick minute to wish every one a VERY Merry Christmas and remind you all....
Please remember the reason for the season.
This time of year we tend to get so caught up in the hustle and bustle and keeping up with who got what - that we lose focus of the true meaning and blessings of the Christmas season.

Today - tonight - tomorrow - some time over this holiday, do something selfless.  Not for the glory, but for someone else.  Stop focusing on the THINGS of this world and focus on the things of the heart!
There is something so much bigger out there than that iPad.

James 1:19-27

Listening and Doing

 ¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. ²¹ Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.  ²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
 ²⁶ Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.


Tonight, in honor of Jesus' birth and in the spirit of giving, I (following the example of a friend) went to Walmart, went in and bought a gift card, and then staked out the parking lot, patiently waiting for a tug leading me down the path I should go.  I found a lovely family, politely walked up and handed the mother a gift card and wished them a Merry Christmas - and walked away.   The little girl with them softly said "awwwww...." as I was walking away.   And with that - I was gone.
Tonight - I will say a special prayer that the family will be blessed a special way this year.

From there - I went on to purchase a gift for an anonymous person that I pray for regularly.  This gift will arrive and never be acknowledged.  But I will pray tonight that this gift does not go unused or unanswered.  It was delivered with a special dose of love and prayer.  Special blessings to this person and family.

I hope that you all stop and remember how blessed each and every one of us are - in our own individual way.
Wishing you all a VERY Merry Christmas
I am VERY thankful for my savior's birth, death and resurrection.

I.  am.  BLESSED.

Back to square one

Today I'm sharing something I posted.....   well - long ago.

Thoughts, feelings, and emotions that I today - hold firmly to  :)

I hope you enjoy - but more than anything.... I hope you are inspired.

To give.

To LOVE.

To pray.

To trust in God - no matter WHAT the circumstances!!!!

Unconditional love is a term used to describe a love shared with someone regardless of the other's actions or beliefs.  It is comparable to the term "true love" which is used most often between lovers.  At the same time, unconditional love is frequently used to describe the love between family members, very good friends and also used to describe God's love for us through the forgiveness of Christ.

After a long intense (texted) conversation with a friend of mine recently, he asked me:  "Have u never had 100 percent true unconditional love?"  My response was - "other than my girlfriends & family, no."
Now - my girls and I definitely have an unconditional love for each other, but dating/relationship wise... no.  I don't think I have ever had a 100% shared unconditional love in any relationship.  (Thank God I'm still single then - right?!)  It seems one has always been more or less committed than the other, or one is looking for something more, or one is NOT looking to be serious... always something to break that bond.

Now - do I think I have LOVED unconditionally?  ABSO-freaking-LUTELY!!!!!!!  Every day of my life!  I just don't think it's ever been a mutually shared 100% love that was the same and REAL.  There are so many people that have passed through my life, some who still remain, that maybe I don't agree with and maybe I have had words with, and maybe, just maybe they turned their back and walked away from me.  BUT - I still contain so much love in my heart for them... sometimes it just pisses me off!  ;-)  BUT - at the same time, most days, I feel so lucky and blessed and I am so thankful for it. 
So in turn, I sometimes wonder if I was meant to just GIVE love and hope to those around me.  Like that is my gift from God... my big huge loving, forgiving, heart.  I can't even begin to tell you the number of times people have let me down or broken my heart.....but you know what's really weird and I have yet to figure out - I still to this day LOVE those people unconditionally.  6 months from the day you broke my heart, you could call me and ask for help and I'd be there.  I just can't NOT love or NOT give hope to everyone around me.  (i don't do it on purpose people....I can't help it!  ha ha)  I look at people and situations and I see hope..... (I don't always do that in my OWN life - but I'm VERY good at giving it to those I surround myself with!)
Now - don't get me wrong - I'm not saying I'm not WORTHY of being loved unconditionally OR that I am NOT loved unconditionally - it's just that the love is different with each I guess.  And in relationships, maybe I have been loved unconditionally but didn't share in it with the person.  I don't know. 

So I often wonder if my purpose here on earth is to go at it alone.  To love and give hope to those around me on this journey of life.   I was given a son by the grace of God to show me the REALMS of true neverending undying unconditional love......(because trust me, from one parent to another, no one can break your heart MORE than your own child - but we just keep on lovin them!)
I look at couples and I envy what they have.  I envy that bond that they have.  I envy them having someone to come home to at night.  I envy the touch of a man on the small of his wife's back.  ohhhhh - there are so many little things that people take for granted that I see.  I see them every day.  And they used to make me sad........they used to make me lonely.  They used to make me look at God and say "IT'S NOT FAIR!"
But no more.

Today (this is a work in progress people) I'm learning to be thankful for the gift God has given me.  I don't have to just share my love with one......I get to share it with everyone I meet.  Oh yeah - I have been and will again be let down & have my heart broken, but that's ok.  Because even when that person walks away, they will now have a piece of unconditional love - and even if they have never seen it or felt it before, I promise you - that they will never forget what it felt like.   =)

my footprints in the world..........

Easter AUTOCORRECT...... F.A.I.L.!!!

So.......  how was YOUR Easter??
What about ur kiddos?  Did they get everything they wanted from the Easter Bunny?

Please allow me to tell you about our VITAMIN gift!
cuz I AM without a doubt, the BEST Easter Bunny EVAHHHHH!
let me remind you that I'm the SAME mom that sent my child upstairs to get me a blanket a few years ago;  under which were hiding ALL of his Christmas gifts to be wrapped!!
YEP
Busted!
Worst secret keeper EVER!!

So this year.... being a new step-mom, I was so excited to get baskets and gifts for ALL the kiddos.  I was of course, as always, last minute shopping on Saturday afternoon.  Preacher T was off to another softball tourney with the youngest.  While shopping I TEXTED to ask T what favorite candies the girls would like.  I also asked about gifts.  Something small but fun and cheap (being that we are on a pretty tight budget)
I found a movie for the older of the girls, and proceeded to text to ask which movie the youngest would like out of a list of movies.......

Here is how the text conversation went:

me:   {regarding movies} Tangled?   Babe?  Bolt?  Coraline?  Shrek?
T:  Seen them all.  I'm not sure if she has seen vitamins though
me:  Vitamins?  
{{I'm thinking he meant that he isn't sure if she has any vitamins though.  thinking he mis-typed!}}
T:  Gummy I guess or gum vitamins

{{now I'm thinking he really is suggesting vitamins - after I asked about movies!!}}

me:  but I got (older child) a movie.  about horses.  true story
T:  Cool

Did you follow all of that?
I just asked about an Easter gift for youngest, stating I'm getting the other a movie.  and have been told to get VITAMINS.
Whatever.
At this point, I guess I was just thinking there was some inside joke with vitamins and it would be great.
So I got gummy vitamins.

FAST FORWARD TO EASTER SUNDAY.

I'm getting baskets ready.  Candy is packed up and ready in the baskets.
I go to put the "gift" items in respective baskets.
Z's gift
older girl's gift
and then.......
I pull out the VITAMINS for the youngest.
T gives me that "what the CRAP?" look and I respond with......... YEAH - that's what I thought when you said VITAMINS!!!!!!!
he said..... NO NO NOOOOOO - I did not say VITAMINS.  I said CORALINE.

me.
NOPE.  You didn't

So he proceeds to pull up the TEXT conversation.
where it CLEARLY says VITAMINS!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL - are you SERIOUS?????
he tried to type the movie "Coraline" and Lord only knows what he actually typed.
but insert AUTOCORRECT
thus we have VITAMINS!!!!

and THAT is why we don't text GIFTS!!!!!

We improvised and made do..... but seriously..... I think the youngest might just get a new bottle of vitamins EVERY YEAR for EASTER!!!!!!
Or maybe I shall put them in Preacher T's stocking  :)

Another autocorrect fail.

Motivational Monday :)

On this day, God wants you to know...

... that your love is a gift to the world. Let your love radiate out to all you meet. Let your love touch the hearts of people you don't even know. Let your love reach to the far corners of the earth. Love is what is saving the world.

 

So on facebook, there is an app called "Message from God"   I have been given grief about the likelihood of God speaking to us through the internet these days.... but I LOVE the app.  And you can't TELL me that if God needs to remind you of something, he will not use whatever means necessary. 

I can't tell you how many times this tiny little message sent to my facebook page has put a smile on my face, given me something inspirational to focus on & just plain hit the nail on the head.

 

Last week was kinda tough for me.  (see previous blog)  

But I had a really good weekend and realized I was letting myself focus on the WRONG THINGS. 

THEN - this morning - I got this sweet little message on facebook.

And I remembered that God does give gifts and HE uses those gifts to His glory not our own.

You see, I didn't feel as though my gifts from God included TEACHING or PUBLIC SPEAKING.....

{insert self doubt and second guessing myself here.....}

BUT - I do believe God gave me an uncanny ability to SHARE, RELATE & LOVE (no matter what)!!!!!!

...these are the gifts I use for Him.

I have always said God gave me a heart bigger than I deserve.  I may be hard to get to know.... and I have walls like you wouldn't believe.  But the thing with me is.... once your are in....  YOU ARE IN!  I may get mad, I may get my feelings hurt... but I can never un-love you.  I think I have shared this before... no matter HOW bad I have been hurt, years later a person could come to me needing something and I'm there.  That used to drive me crazy, but at the same time...I am soooo thankful for that gift.

 

To the world you may just be one person, but to one person you might just be the world.

You just never know when someone is depending on YOU to make a difference.

 

So I am starting my week with a new focus on life.  God is using me in sooo many ways and its time I start being thankful for that and know that no matter what bumps I go over down the road, there is a bigger plan than I can see  =)

 

Start your week today, on the dreaded MONDAY, with a new outlook on life!  Remember when you get up each day to be thankful for all the GOOD things in your life!

I have soooooo much good in my life, why in the world would I want to get caught up and pulled down by technicalities?!!

 

What are your gifts that you can be thankful for? 

and are you using them or just storing them on a shelf for a special occassion???!!  =)

 

PS - thanks sooooooooooo much for all the kind words after my breakdown blog on Friday.  I got prayers and encouragement from all over the world. 

THAT my friends is an AMAZING thing  =)