Saturday, January 15, 2011
SNOW!
My Husband took these pictures of the snow around our home. Isn't it beautiful! I LOVE the snow!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Blessings
Ever since I was a little girl, I have dreamed of being a Mom. I love, love, LOVE being a Mom. I believe it is the greatest blessing God could have ever given women. My kids and my husband are my treasures and I thank God for them every day.
Being a parent has many responsibilities, and I take them very seriously. God has entrusted me and my husband to raise two other human beings to live, love and serve Him with all their hearts. That is nothing to take lightly. I have a saying "You can love your kids to death, or you can love your kids to eternity". I want to "Love my kids to eternity". Recently we made the decision to get rid of all our movies. We watched a series on You Tube called Battlefield Hollywood and it changed the way we view entertainment. So after praying about it we decided that we would rather spend our time doing other things than sitting in front of the TV. We haven't even missed it. In fact, both our girls have told us how glad they are that we don't have them anymore.
We are spending more time together talking and sharing....I love it. God is so good!
Being a parent has many responsibilities, and I take them very seriously. God has entrusted me and my husband to raise two other human beings to live, love and serve Him with all their hearts. That is nothing to take lightly. I have a saying "You can love your kids to death, or you can love your kids to eternity". I want to "Love my kids to eternity". Recently we made the decision to get rid of all our movies. We watched a series on You Tube called Battlefield Hollywood and it changed the way we view entertainment. So after praying about it we decided that we would rather spend our time doing other things than sitting in front of the TV. We haven't even missed it. In fact, both our girls have told us how glad they are that we don't have them anymore.
We are spending more time together talking and sharing....I love it. God is so good!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
God's Word is Not Void
Do you believe that God cannot lie? Do you believe that what He says is true?
So many times in the daily trials of life, we often forget that what God says He will do. We can go to Him with every trial, every fear, every need we may have. He will not turn us away. In fact, He longs to hear from us, for we are His children. There is nothing too great, that He cannot handle.
There are SO MANY promises in the Bible that we can claim. Isaiah 55:11 shows us that His word is not void (empty, without cause). "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Isa 55:11 We can rely upon every word as truth. We can bank on it.
You may ask me how I know it's true? Let me share a little about my life and then maybe you will be convinced. Two years ago, I was injured at work. I damaged my back, and now I am no longer able to work. Since technically I am still "employed", I cannot receive unemployment. I do not get any pay from worker's compensation because I was injured working prn (as needed), even though I was working full-time to part-time hours. Last year I was diagnosed with a rare genetic neuromuscular disease called Myotonic Dystrophy. What that means is every muscle in my body is, and will get weaker and weaker as time goes on. I am in constant pain from my back injury and from muscle pain. Most people with my disease usually die of aspiration or sudden cardiac death. My doctor said I will never be able to work again. That in itself was a blow because I dearly love being a nurse. But that is not all. My husband works in medical sales. He is trained in fitting people for rehabilitational seating for power wheelchairs. Medicare has now passed a rule saying they will no longer purchase power chairs for clients. Instead, they will pay for a rental. What that means to us is that our income is now zero. Our financial trials are like a lot of other peoples' now days. We have nothing!
But, here is the good news! God has allowed us to live in our home even though it has been in foreclosure for over a year. Our electricity was going to be turned off because of lack of funds and that very day, my husband received an unexpected paycheck that allowed us to pay to keep it on. Our funds dropped down to $24.00 dollars (total). We had no idea what we were going to do. But we prayed and asked God to take care of us and claimed His promises. Then, we left it in His hands. We told no one of our financial difficulty. A couple of days later, some friends, who shall remain anonymous, came by our home and handed us an envelope. Inside was two hundred dollars! Some other friends stopped by and brought with them household items that were much needed. They were unaware that we were in need of the very things they brought. I could go on, but you get the picture, right?
I know what it is like to go through trials. But I'm here to tell you, that there is NOTHING TOO GREAT for God! He has promised to be with us and to take care of us. Does that mean that we will not go through trials? No. What it does mean however, is that He will walk with us through the trials. We may still lose our home, but we will trust God to place us where we need to be so that He can do the most good for us. I may never be able to work as a nurse again, but God has allowed me to "work" in other areas, assisting people through our church's community services program. This neuromuscular disease I have may take my life sooner than I would care to even think about, and it may not. But, I would like to think that if I should die, there would be people who would be saved because of my influence in their lives. God knows best and no matter what the outcome, His way is ALWAYS THE BEST.
So the next time you are discouraged and the trials you are going through seem too great to bear, remember that God's word is not void. Claim His promises, BELIEVE HIS PROMISES, then stand back and watch the mighty hand of God at work!
So many times in the daily trials of life, we often forget that what God says He will do. We can go to Him with every trial, every fear, every need we may have. He will not turn us away. In fact, He longs to hear from us, for we are His children. There is nothing too great, that He cannot handle.
There are SO MANY promises in the Bible that we can claim. Isaiah 55:11 shows us that His word is not void (empty, without cause). "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Isa 55:11 We can rely upon every word as truth. We can bank on it.
You may ask me how I know it's true? Let me share a little about my life and then maybe you will be convinced. Two years ago, I was injured at work. I damaged my back, and now I am no longer able to work. Since technically I am still "employed", I cannot receive unemployment. I do not get any pay from worker's compensation because I was injured working prn (as needed), even though I was working full-time to part-time hours. Last year I was diagnosed with a rare genetic neuromuscular disease called Myotonic Dystrophy. What that means is every muscle in my body is, and will get weaker and weaker as time goes on. I am in constant pain from my back injury and from muscle pain. Most people with my disease usually die of aspiration or sudden cardiac death. My doctor said I will never be able to work again. That in itself was a blow because I dearly love being a nurse. But that is not all. My husband works in medical sales. He is trained in fitting people for rehabilitational seating for power wheelchairs. Medicare has now passed a rule saying they will no longer purchase power chairs for clients. Instead, they will pay for a rental. What that means to us is that our income is now zero. Our financial trials are like a lot of other peoples' now days. We have nothing!
But, here is the good news! God has allowed us to live in our home even though it has been in foreclosure for over a year. Our electricity was going to be turned off because of lack of funds and that very day, my husband received an unexpected paycheck that allowed us to pay to keep it on. Our funds dropped down to $24.00 dollars (total). We had no idea what we were going to do. But we prayed and asked God to take care of us and claimed His promises. Then, we left it in His hands. We told no one of our financial difficulty. A couple of days later, some friends, who shall remain anonymous, came by our home and handed us an envelope. Inside was two hundred dollars! Some other friends stopped by and brought with them household items that were much needed. They were unaware that we were in need of the very things they brought. I could go on, but you get the picture, right?
I know what it is like to go through trials. But I'm here to tell you, that there is NOTHING TOO GREAT for God! He has promised to be with us and to take care of us. Does that mean that we will not go through trials? No. What it does mean however, is that He will walk with us through the trials. We may still lose our home, but we will trust God to place us where we need to be so that He can do the most good for us. I may never be able to work as a nurse again, but God has allowed me to "work" in other areas, assisting people through our church's community services program. This neuromuscular disease I have may take my life sooner than I would care to even think about, and it may not. But, I would like to think that if I should die, there would be people who would be saved because of my influence in their lives. God knows best and no matter what the outcome, His way is ALWAYS THE BEST.
So the next time you are discouraged and the trials you are going through seem too great to bear, remember that God's word is not void. Claim His promises, BELIEVE HIS PROMISES, then stand back and watch the mighty hand of God at work!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Flu
The flu struck our home with a vengence. It has been 3 weeks of red noses, fevers, and coughing. Joy! We are all getting well though. I was the last one to get it, after nursing everyone. When I started feeling like I was getting sick, I drank a mixture of lemon juice, garlic, onion, cayenne, and grapefruit all blended together. Sounds gross? Yes, but it is very effective. Especially if you can add fresh ginger to the mixture. I didn't get as sick as everyone else, just a mild cold.
I hope everyone else is staying healthy this winter. Chow for now.
I hope everyone else is staying healthy this winter. Chow for now.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Gift From God
Let's face it, these are difficult times. There are many people who are struggling to make ends meet. Our family is without exception. I've been unable to work for a little over two years now due to a back injury and a recent diagnoses of a rare neuromuscular disease. My husband (aka My Hero) hasn't been able to keep food or water down for days at a time because of a failed lap-band. Needless to say, his health has been deteriorating and yet he still gets up and works (amazing). His work as a DME salesman and certified ATP (he assists people with getting the proper seating for power wheelchairs) has been declining because of medicare's constant price cuts, doctors' offices unwilling to do the required paperwork required by insurance, and various other aspects of working in sales. We have no income, no insurance, and no savings. Grim outlook to say the least.
Back to my Hero and his health, or lack of. To say he was dying would not be far from the truth. He would always try to hide the pain he was in and he rarely complained. Likewise, I would try to hide my tears. Our lives together have not been long enough, and I do not want to lose him. So, not knowing what to do or where to turn, I got down on my knees and prayed. I asked God for guidance and He gave me an inspiration. I wrote a letter to one of the local hospital's president. I told him about our financial situation and of the dire health of my husband. Could he please help us? I sent the letter along with a prayer and awaited a reply. My husband received a phone call from the hospital and was told that they would be sending him an application in the mail. He filled it out, sent it back in and was approved for an operation to remove the lap-band! PRAISE THE LORD!
My husband met with the doctors, had all the preliminary work done and had his surgery. It has been a week since the operation and he has been able to keep every bite of food, and every drink of water down. We knelt down together and thanked God for His love and mercy. God cares. He always has. He always will.
"Fear thou not: for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10
Back to my Hero and his health, or lack of. To say he was dying would not be far from the truth. He would always try to hide the pain he was in and he rarely complained. Likewise, I would try to hide my tears. Our lives together have not been long enough, and I do not want to lose him. So, not knowing what to do or where to turn, I got down on my knees and prayed. I asked God for guidance and He gave me an inspiration. I wrote a letter to one of the local hospital's president. I told him about our financial situation and of the dire health of my husband. Could he please help us? I sent the letter along with a prayer and awaited a reply. My husband received a phone call from the hospital and was told that they would be sending him an application in the mail. He filled it out, sent it back in and was approved for an operation to remove the lap-band! PRAISE THE LORD!
My husband met with the doctors, had all the preliminary work done and had his surgery. It has been a week since the operation and he has been able to keep every bite of food, and every drink of water down. We knelt down together and thanked God for His love and mercy. God cares. He always has. He always will.
"Fear thou not: for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Giveaway!
If you enjoy french country, you'll love a chance to win a $100 gift certificate giveaway hosted by Lidy at the French Garden House and Cynthia's Cottage Design. The items that Lidy has on her site are really pretty and perfect for enhancing the beauty of any home. For your chance to win go to: http://cynthiascottagedesign.blogspot.com/2010/11/beautiful-holiday-give-away.html and post a comment. Good luck and Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Homes Decorated With Snow
I was browsing through homes that were for sale, when I came across these homes. They reminded me of my childhood and I had to share them with you. I don't think they need further decoration, do you?
A Walk in the Park
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Thanksgiving just happens to be my favorite time of the year. Our family has always been very close knit and I love spending time with them.
Although spending time with family never gets tiring for me, I do love the moments when my Hero (my Hubby) and I can steal away together. This past weekend we went for a walk at Red Clay State Park. The air was cool, the sun was shining, and the sky was the most gorgeous shade of blue. The trail was covered in leaves that crunched with our every step. We walked hand-in-hand taking pictures here and there, all the while laughing, and talking together. It was wonderful! Walking/hiking with my husband has always been my idea of the perfect date....and yes, I still melt when he takes my hand in his.
The weather has been so unusually warm, that the roses my husband gave me are still blooming.....in November! It did freeze last night and they are turning brown around the edges, so I thought I'd better take some pictures just for proof. They smell wonderful too! I'm also posting pictures of the park. Hope you enjoy!
This is the paved trail around the Park's cabin, barn, meeting place etc....
These steps lead down to the spring. You can see to your right the water. There are leaves covering some of it, but it is a large spring surrounded by a horseshoe shaped, steep embankment. The water is crystal clear and 18 ft deep. To the left of the walk is the creek that is fed by the spring.
The creek. It's a great place to wade in the summertime!
The place where council meetings were held. This is where the Trail of Tears began.
Although spending time with family never gets tiring for me, I do love the moments when my Hero (my Hubby) and I can steal away together. This past weekend we went for a walk at Red Clay State Park. The air was cool, the sun was shining, and the sky was the most gorgeous shade of blue. The trail was covered in leaves that crunched with our every step. We walked hand-in-hand taking pictures here and there, all the while laughing, and talking together. It was wonderful! Walking/hiking with my husband has always been my idea of the perfect date....and yes, I still melt when he takes my hand in his.
The weather has been so unusually warm, that the roses my husband gave me are still blooming.....in November! It did freeze last night and they are turning brown around the edges, so I thought I'd better take some pictures just for proof. They smell wonderful too! I'm also posting pictures of the park. Hope you enjoy!
I wasn't the only one admiring this rose!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
My Favorite Flowers
I love hydrangeas.
My Grandma had a snowball bush growing in her yard. Now thanks to my wonderful Hubby,
I have one too!
He also bought me pink climbing roses and planted them on either side of the arbor we were married under. They are still blooming....and it is almost December!
I have planted peonies twice, but haven't had much luck with them....yet.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Beautiful Things For The Home
OK. So the last photograph isn't for inside the home, but it does want make you want to stay a while doesn't it?
Monday, November 15, 2010
Pure Joy
I saw my oldest daughter off on a mission trip yesterday. It was so much fun to see the excitement she had in her eyes! What a lovely, kind young lady she has turned out to be. Her Daddy and I are so proud of her. Our youngest is home on break and I am loving having at least one of my children home! I do not like having an empty nest and relish the times when my children are at home, at least a little while. My youngest is vibrant, beautiful and caring....just like her oldest sister. I am a very lucky wife and mom and loving my family is Pure Joy.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Beautiful Places
Our family loves to hike and explore nature. These photos were taken by my very talented husband on one of our short hikes. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
This is Ozone Falls in Ozone, Tennesee.
My husband leaned out over the edge as far as he could to take this photo. I was in the background sucking in my breath and asking him to please be careful.....much to his delight.
This tree was a short distance above the falls on the bank of the river.
The mushroom is so intricate and so delicate.
At the bottom of Ozone Fall. I bet this is a great place to swim in the summertime.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Doctor's Office
I signed my child in at the doctor's office and then we proceeded to find a seat and wait. It really wasn't that crowded, but the people waiting to be seen were scattered about the room. We found two empty seats next to an elderly gentlemen and sat down. I leaned slightly in his direction and asked, " You won't bite if I sit next to you will you?". His tired, worn face broke out into a smile, he chuckled a little bit as he softly said, "No". A conversation soon began and we reminisced about our childhood years, each remembering the way our grandmother's could bake the best pies. A lady across from us joined in on the conversation and soon the office began to feel more like a friendly gathering place. I found out that the gentleman next to me had served in the Korean War. "Thank you for what you did," I said. A sad and somewhat pained look came over his face as he replied, "I was 17 years old when I joined the military. From 17 to 21 I served. Some things we had to do, I still struggle with. I have nightmares about it still." Tears began to well in his eyes as he haltingly told me some of the horrific things only service men know about. I didn't want to imagine the scenes that must have passed before his young, innocent eyes. It made me want to somehow take away all the pain and suffering he experienced, but all I could do was sit there and listen. Another younger gentleman joined in on the conversation. He had served in Vietnam. He too had similar experiences. My heart went out to both of them. They both had been exposed to asbestos in the military and both were now suffering because of it. It didn't seem fair that these once young, innocent men had to step out into a new and terrifying world. Our conversation ended abruptly as my child's name was called; but I couldn't help leaning over both of them, giving them hugs, and whispering a thank you in there ears.
That experience gave me a deeper appreciation of the people who defend our freedom. Freedom always comes at a price. It requires sacrifice, heartache, and pain for those who obtain it. It reminds me of another Man, a Man who gave His life to save the whole world. He willingly took on heartache and pain to be our sacrifice. He was beaten, battered, and bruised. He was derided, spit upon, and betrayed. Yet He bore it all, for He knew that if He didn't our freedom from sin would be lost forever; we would be lost forever. We have a lot to be grateful for. We can be grateful to the men who fought for, and won our freedom. We can openly, and without fear, worship our Lord and Saviour. The Man who fought for and won our eternal freedom. Have you whispered a thank you to Him today?
That experience gave me a deeper appreciation of the people who defend our freedom. Freedom always comes at a price. It requires sacrifice, heartache, and pain for those who obtain it. It reminds me of another Man, a Man who gave His life to save the whole world. He willingly took on heartache and pain to be our sacrifice. He was beaten, battered, and bruised. He was derided, spit upon, and betrayed. Yet He bore it all, for He knew that if He didn't our freedom from sin would be lost forever; we would be lost forever. We have a lot to be grateful for. We can be grateful to the men who fought for, and won our freedom. We can openly, and without fear, worship our Lord and Saviour. The Man who fought for and won our eternal freedom. Have you whispered a thank you to Him today?
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