Kids

When they're little and in constant need and constantly complaining, sometimes you wish that they were grown. All mine are grown now and out of the nest, except my special blessing Isabella. I don't know what I would do without her!
I miss the rest of them. They are always in my heart. I treasure the moments I get to talk to them in a day. I love when they text that they love me or to say goodnight.
I long for the day that we live close to each other again. I hope that God sees fit to make that happen.
I am grateful that I have a pharmacy liscense that is good to work in any state. It could happen easily if  I can get them all in the same vicinity.
God, look after them and guide them while they are spreading their wings to fly. Let them serve you and love you.
I love you, Lord.
Thank you for my salvation and for Your forgiveness. You are a strong, loving and mighty God.

I did treqsure the moments when they were little. I loved being a mom most of the time. We all have times when we could cancel a holiday because we've had such a bad day. I almost canceled Halloween one time. I have wanted to cancel Christmas and Thanksgiving before depending on how badly behaved they were at the time. LOL!

Sometimes I still want to cancel all the hoopla that goes with Christmas. I would love to just sing carols, worship, and cancel all the commercialism attached to Christmas and have a Christmas of service.
I think I'm alone in that sentiment. The kids like the money and the gifts.  I like money and gifts but they are what add the stress

Heatbroken

I've realized that I've been stuffing my heartaches away for far too long. Life is too short to settle for constant heartache. The problem is that I have always been an optimistic, hopeful person. My loyalties run deep. When I make a commitment, I am determined to keep it. But recently, friends and my children are pointing out to me that it is not necessarily healthy for me to do that. I can finally admit that I can't keep doing that. I am heartbroken. REcognizing that now doesn't change the past. I can only control the present. Regret accomplishes nothing. I have given my all, I can't regret that, but I can mourn the lost potential of all those years and I am. On to the future. God and I will create beauty from the ashes of my life. I am going to fill my days with things that will bring me joy, travel, hobbies I love, my children and family and friends. I don't think David will ever be willing to make the effort to participate in a full life. He doesn't want to do anything but watch TV and the computer. He will never admit what happened the past 25 years, and that leaves little room for improvement and little room for hope. If you can't admit your mistakes, you can 't correct them. I am sad for him. He will be miserable without me. But it is his choice. His pride and selfishness trap him in his own little world.
Why would I give up on our amazing God? God has changed David's heart and we are happy once again.
I almost gave up.
I almost decided to throw it all away in my unhappiness.
But God was merciful to me and restored what was broken.
Don't give up on God.
Cheryl

Married Sex is the Best Sex

I've been married for 32 years. My body doesn't look like it did when I was 19, neither does his. We don't care. Your love story isn't about the love you started out with, but it's about the love you build the older you grow. Forgiveness, shared hardships, children, shared jokes,  your comfortable. At  this point, if you want to do it in the bedroom,  you know it only contributes to your love story. You realize that if you want to shake things up together, anything that is mutually enjoyed is game. You can't have that at 19. You don't really know anything about sex at that age, at least I didn't. I'm grateful for mutual forgiveness, for the love that builds as you forgive and love through the hurts and hardships of a committed marriage. Sometimes in my life, staying married has been the hardest thing I ever did. I'm glad we didn't give up on each other. Sometimes the hurt went deep enough that I didn't think I could forgive it. But God is always the song in my heart when I forget that I have a song. He is able to take anything that you give Him and rebuild it. There was a time that my marriage was dead. My pastor advised me that it wasn't a crime to bury a dead marriage. I thought that God was in the business of raising the dead. Nearly 21 years later, He has. Mutually commitment, mutual forgiveness, and love have over come the obstacles to a loving relationship by the miracles that God performs. I had given up hope of renewing my marriage,  but God surprised me by working all things together for good. Only an amazing God could have restored my marriage at this point. I am grateful that He has loved me when I felt unloved, sustained me when I didn't think that I could endure, and forgives me when I don't do what I should.
Commitment is what love is all about. God is the author of unconditional love and He hates divorce. He can restore anything in His time.

Isaiah 40:31New King James Version (NKJV)

31 But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Galatians 6:9

New International Version
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Wait on Him. Trust him.

Cheryl

Jalapeno Popper Dip

2 - 8 oz fat free Philadelphia Cream Cheese
6 oz grated sharp cheddar
1 large jalapeno, chopped finely
1- 4 oz. package of bacon bits
8 oz sour cream
2 bunches green onions, chopped

Mix, heat 3 minutes in microwave, and serve with chips or vegetables.

This was  so easy and really yummy!

Ungrateful, Whiny Kids!

Have you ever dealt with ungrateful, whinny kids?
We just look at them and think, "What are you whining about, you have it sooooo good?!"
I cook for them, clean up after them, do their laundry, entertain them, cart them around and do anything else they need.
Most of the time, I love to do for my kids, but when they complain, I tend to resent it.
I think God must look at me sometimes when I'm having a whiny moment and think the same thing. He has to be just shaking His head!
I know I am just like Elijah when he climbs up in that cave!  God has shown Himself mighty before the prophets of Baal!
God has delivered him from armies and enemies! And Elijah is laying in that cave complaining, forgetting all that God has done.
Sometimes I am like that.
And then....God comes to me, not in the wind, not in the earthquake, not in the fire, but in a still quiet voice....
His still, small voice whispers to me, "Did you forget that I love you?"
He whispers, "Did you forget the many times that I have delivered you?"
He says, "Maybe you forgot how much I have blessed you?"

And I am ashamed of myself....

I've been sitting there with my lip stuck out, pouting about this or that trivial thing and forgetting how blessed, loved, delivered and redeemed I am. I forget to be grateful just like my kids.
And I forget that the Creator Himself loves me and is ready to hear my needs in prayer. I have nothing to complain about!
Do you ever have moments like that or is it just our kids?
Tell me about the times God has delivered you! Or tell me about your whiny moments and how God speaks to you about that!

This is a great passage. Here it is for your reference and convenience......

1 KINGS

17 1.Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”....

18 After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” ² So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.

Now the famine was severe in Samaria, ³ and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord. ⁴ While Jezebel was killing off the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.) ⁵ Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals.” ⁶ So they divided the land they were to cover, Ahab going in one direction and Obadiah in another.

⁷ As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, “Is it really you, my lord Elijah?”

⁸ “Yes,” he replied. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’”

⁹ “What have I done wrong,” asked Obadiah, “that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? ¹⁰ As surely as the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you. ¹¹ But now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.’ ¹² I don’t know where the Spirit of the Lord may carry you when I leave you. If I go and tell Ahab and he doesn’t find you, he will kill me. Yet I your servant have worshiped the Lordsince my youth. ¹³ Haven’t you heard, my lord, what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets of the Lord? I hid a hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water. ¹⁴ And now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.’ He will kill me!”

¹⁵ Elijah said, “As the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely presentmyself to Ahab today.”

Elijah on Mount Carmel

¹⁶ So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. ¹⁷ When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?”

¹⁸ “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals. ¹⁹ Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

²⁰ So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. ²¹ Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

But the people said nothing.

²² Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left,but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. ²³ Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. ²⁴ Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”

Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”

²⁵ Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” ²⁶ So they took the bull given them and prepared it.

Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

²⁷ At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” ²⁸ So they shouted louder and slashedthemselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. ²⁹ Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

³⁰ Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. ³¹ Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.”³² With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs^[a] of seed. ³³ He arrangedthe wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”

³⁴ “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again.

“Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. ³⁵ The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

³⁶ At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. ³⁷ Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will knowthat you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

³⁸ Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

³⁹ When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”

⁴⁰ Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.

⁴¹ And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” ⁴² So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.

⁴³ “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked.

“There is nothing there,” he said.

Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”

⁴⁴ The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”

So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”

⁴⁵ Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rainstarted falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. ⁴⁶ The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

19 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. ² So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

³ Elijah was afraid^[a] and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, ⁴ while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” ⁵ Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” ⁶ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

⁷ The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” ⁸ So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. ⁹ There he went into a cave and spent the night.

The Lord Appears to Elijah

And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

¹⁰ He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

¹¹ The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of theLord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ¹³ When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

¹⁴ He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

¹⁵ The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. ¹⁶ Also, anointJehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. ¹⁷ Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. ¹⁸ Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

Dirty Laundry Secrets

We long to be white as snow, even as the our sin natures perpetually plague us. Oh that my heart would be as He would have it to be. I wish it weren't such a long process. I seem to see my sin more clearly every day, but don't often seem to have succes reigning my problem areas in.
Alene Snodgrass is a talented bible study teacher and today begins a new study called, Dirty Laundry Secrets. Hop on over to this link and join in today.

http://us5.campaign-archive2.com/?u=529b0dbdc8324d81bc6e1bdac&id=0251bb25ab

This week is the last week to join! You will be blessed. The book is only $4.99 to download and there is a facebook group for discussion. She also has periodic webcasts to join in.
I loved Easy Street, her last study!
If you have a hard time getting out of the house for a bible study, this is a good alternative!

For the next two weeks, I will be following Tracie Miles on her marriage challenge. Tracie has a gift for cutting to the heart of the problem. I followed her 10 day stress detox followed by her book, Stressed Less Living. Prepare to be changed.

Marriage Challenge Kickoff: PREPARE YOUR HEART

MARCH 11, 2013 BY TMILES

The randomly drawn winner of Friday’s giveaway of the book The Man Whisperer is

Linda who posted on March 8, 2013 at 11:57 am. If this is you, email me your address!

Several years ago I was at the hair salon and a young girl in the chair beside me spent thirty minutes excitedly talking about her wedding.

Oh yes, she had everything picked out. She explained to her hairdresser, in great detail I might add, what her wedding dress looked like, the color and style of the bridesmaids dresses, what the groomsmen were wearing, the flowers, the cake, the music, the guest lists, etc.

None of this seemed out of the ordinary for a bride-to-be, filled with excitement and anticipation about the most special day of her life. Until I heard her exclaim as she was leaving the salon, that as soon as she could find a man to marry her, everything would be perfect.   Huh?

You see, she had spent months, maybe years, planning for the wedding, but had given little, if any, thought to the reality of actually being married.  She seemed oblivious to the fact that marriage is a life time commitment, not one fairy tale day, and unfortunately, I believe that many brides set out in their new marriages with the same misconception.

As a glowing bride, we are in love, we have overlooked our fiances faults, we envision a life of bliss and mutual happiness, and look forward to our spouse meeting all of our needs while we pour our love upon him every day….only soon to discover that marriage is nothing like we expected.  Not to say that there aren’t wonderful, happy and fulfilling days in marriage, but when we expect all of our needs to be met by our husbands, and fail to acknowledge that our husband may also expect us to meet all his needs,  we are setting ourselves up for disappointment.

So many times, when disappointment hits hard, women keep their marriage problems hidden inside their hearts, fearing what other people will think if they found out.  They think they are the only one with problems, and that everyone else’s marriage is just fine. What a tragedy that is, when so many marriages are hurting, and so many women desperately need a shoulder to lean on and someone to pray for them.

That is why I am so excited that nearly one thousand women have committed to walking through this 14 day Marriage Challenge with me, because marriage is hard work and we need each other for love and support, and there is power and strength in knowing that we are not alone.

So let’s get our minds in the right place as we pray about moving forward, by thinking back to when you first met your husband. Try to recall the feelings that you held in your heart, and the tingles that spread through your body whenever he called you, kissed you, or did something super sweet. Then reflect on your wedding day, and consider all of the thoughts that were running through your mind on that very special day. Maybe you’ve been married a long time, and it’s hard to think back that far, so ask God to bring memories to mind that you may have forgotten.

I bet you would agree that, just like that young girl in the salon, as you stood in your beautiful wedding gown staring into the eyes of your soon-to-be-husband and reciting heart felt vows meant to last a lifetime, that you were not thinking about things such as: dirty underwear and socks on the floor in the bathroom, razor stubble, nights out with the guys, hurtful secrets, dirty dishes, dirty floors, dirty diapers, snotty noses, long hours at the office, heated arguments , discouragement, and restless nights of trying to keep the pillows strategically placed in the center of the bed so that your man cannot get anywhere near you – am I right?!  And in the worst cases, no bride expects infidelity or pornography to painfully divide the relationship and cause a deep sense of betrayal and emptiness.

Despite all that may have happened, God is the only one who can fill that spot in our hearts that feels empty, needy and alone, especially when we are not getting the affection or love from our husbands that we so desire. God is the only One who can help us find peace, in the middle of a stormy relationship and He is the only Way to find the strength and desire to persevere in our marriage, especially when we feel like throwing in the white towel of defeat.

Unfortunately, today’s culture thinks marriage is a disposable commodity, rather than a covenant to treasure. But this mindset can be changed – one saved marriage at a time. God is the only who has the power to full restore what has been broken.

Sweet sister, whether your marriage is going along great, feeling a little stale, or on the brink of divorce, my prayer is that God will work miracles in your heart, your husband’s heart, and your marriage as we seek Gods wisdom and intervention through the challenges we will embark on over the next few weeks.  I believe with all my heart that God desires to see each one of us enjoy the joy and love that marriage is intended to bring, and that no matter what our problems are, our God is bigger.

The first daily challenge will be posted tomorrow, March 12th. But I want to encourage you to begin praying now about what God will speak to your spirit in the coming weeks. Prepare your spiritual ears to hear His voice, and open your heart to feel and see Him at work in you, your husband, and your marriage. Pray for humility if God steps on your toes, courage to walk in love, and grace for when you try and stumble. There is no guaranteed fix for any relationship, but with God, anything is possible.

We’re in this journey together friends. Let’s get our hearts ready for something incredible.

Special note: Over the next few weeks, my prayer is to offer tools, thought provoking insight and biblical support for improving your marriage and witnessing the power of God working in your heart and your relationship. However,  in many unfortunate situations, women are abused emotionally, verbally or physically, and any kind of mistreatment such as this is not blessed by God and certainly not biblical.  God does not expect anyone to endure this type of treatment and it is never deserved or justified.  If you find yourself in such a situation or you feel threatened or harmed in any way, please consider contacting your pastor or Christian counselor for advice immediately. You can also send a prayer request to ourProverbs 31 prayer team. 

 http://traciemiles.com/preparing-for-the-marriage-challenge/