You just never know what's going to happen....
A deer hit us yesterday afternoon,  just after we had spent six hundred dollars having major maintainance done on our Honda Odyssey.  Only 2 hours before, we drove away assuming the van was good to go for another 100,000 miles.  Then, as we neared Chipley, Florida a deer literally jumped onto the hood of our van.  Honestly, the deer flew over the car we were meeting head on and landed on our van.  It was surreal!

Thankfully, we were safe. Our sweet children said, "Mommy, we are going to praise God in all circumstances."   "Yes we are," I replied.  And we did!   Friends rescued us and a tow truck came for the van.  We ended up having dinner with our rescuers, Connie and Frankie Pittman, along with their children. It was a good night full of laughter.  We chose to praise God in our circumstances.  After all,  everything we have is His.

Yes, Lord!  It is all Yours.  
Monica

Sent from my AT&T Smartphone by HTC

How to Deal....

So often I find myself wondering, "How do I live to please you, God, in the midst of these circumstances?"  When people fall short of what I wished they would be.....when they don't love me the way I wish they would.  Then I am reminded, I have no rights to myself.  Really!  It's not about me.  

If I am looking for people to fill the hole in my heart, I am making people my god.  Only the one true God can fill my heart.  When I take my eyes off people and look to Jesus, I do find He is enough.  I find contentment and peace.   He sees me!  He loves and accepts me.   My every need is met in HIM alone.....

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.......and the things of Earth will grow strangely dim....... 

So my Christmas looks different than the movies....

The Christmas season is not always easy.  This year we have so much to be thankful for, as Chuck is NOT on the big brown truck.  He's on staff at Ridgecrest Baptist Church, here in Dothan.  A desire of the heart fulfilled, overwhelming gratefulness for all that God has done.  Still there are longings in my heart and life, unfulfilled.  Okay, I'm looking at the hole and not the donut!  God gives me everything I need and more.  He is enough!  Still, I will face many trials......


I wrote a couple of months ago in my journal: "Negative feelings, difficult relationships are so cumbersome to my walk with Jesus--just a distraction for what matters most."


 Then reading through my journal I see where I wrote from My Utmost on Sept 25th the following, 


"God does not ask us to do the things that are naturally easy for us.  He only ask us to do the things that we are perfectly fit to do through His grace, and that is where the cross we must bear will always come."


Not easy, but possible in Jesus Christ.  I can choose to love.  I can lay down my life.  My life is  not my own.  Not a popular concept in the world we live in today.  But true, if you have chosen to follow Christ.  


I have prayed, "Change me until I am completely yours.  Until I can endure anything and not be angry and bitter- only focused on Your face!"  But the process of working that out...well, it's just plain hard.  It does not come easy, but I believe it will come!  

This past weekend we watched The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.   I was reminded that the battle is the darkest just before the victory comes.  Just when you feel like all is lost and you are ready to give in to defeat.....you don't.  You never give up.  It is always too soon to give up.  Sometimes, okay, many times I feel like this in my own life.  I want to give up!  But because of the hope I have in Christ, I haven't.   You never know what is around the next corner.  


My life is not perfect.  I am not perfect, and I won't be until I see Jesus.  So please don't expect me to be.  Just yesterday I was pondering the fact that here I am wife to Chuck, mother to Tolar, Trace and Turner, and the women's  ministry leader in our church.....and I don't have it together at all.  What am I even doing in ministry?  But I think people need to see us as REAL.  They need to see how we choose to live out the  mess our lives can be, at  times.  They need to see how we choose to love the difficult people in our lives that cause us hurt and pain.  They need to see us when we are weak and needy.....it's what we do then that matters and speaks.   
We all need God's Grace!  I need God's grace to help me now.  I need His truth to speak to my heart and remind me of how He see's me.  


So here we are at Christmas.  The celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  This has been a week of the Stomach virus at our  house.  I have missed several Christmas parties with girlfriends I really wanted to see and enjoy their company.    However, I have gotten several pajama days and lots of cuddling.  Now what matters most?  I believe my circumstances are ordained by God, therefore, His will has been for us to be right where we are.....at home....TOGETHER.  In sickness and in health....we will rejoice:)  I have been given TIME to Be Still and Know that He is God.  Now that is the best gift of all.  

Thank you Jesus for amazing friends.

Monica

Sent from my AT&T Smartphone by HTC

Christmas baking

Monica

Sent from my AT&T Smartphone by HTC

Invader 2 has arrived in my bed.

Trace and Turner are now both getting cuddle time. It's after midnight. Oh I love Christmastime.  

Monica

Sent from my AT&T Smartphone by HTC

Cuddle Bug in my bed.

How I love these days.

Monica

Sent from my AT&T Smartphone by HTC

Star Wars Song----My Little Man (days gone by)

Swedish government's 18-month-long seizure of 9-year-old boy pushing par...

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only son....."

God withheld NOTHING from us.  He gave it all.  Yet, we offer lip service and refuse to give Him everything.  I was pondering this as I prayed this morning.  Yes, I struggle with dying to SELF.  I do!  Dying to my selfish desires and plans does NOT come naturally to me.  Yet, my heart's desire it to live for HIM completely.  I know that my life is not my own, I have been bought with a price.  Ministry is my passion and I want to be completely His.   Yet......I struggle with letting go of my agenda and surrendering to HIS.  It's gonna cost me something if I do surrender.  Do I really mean what I say or am I just giving lip service only planning to do what fits into my plans for the day, week, or year?  God is going to interrupt my life and test me to see if I really do want to follow HIM.
There are lots of things I can choose to do this day, but how many have eternal value?  Choosing the eternal over the worldly......oh Father, give me discernment to choose Your Best today!

Merry Christmas

How I started my day today.  (Along with prayer)

Monica

Sent from my AT&T Smartphone by HTC

Advent Nightly Reading

Reading Tabitha's Travels this year. Wonderful Advent series for children.  Check out the other two books, Jotham's Journey and Bartholomew's Passage.  Exciting stories that lead you to the birth of the Savior.
Monica

Sent from my AT&T Smartphone by HTC

Oh looking back over this blog and seeing how my children have grown. They just make me laugh.  I'm in awe of how God works and that He chooses such simple people to work through. To God be the glory. Great things He has done.
Monica

Sent from my AT&T Smartphone by HTC

Mr. Jones' tombstone

A 40 pound tombstone for our 8 pound dog.  We miss you little buddy.

Monica

Sent from my AT&T Smartphone by HTC

Dec 7 Pearl Harbor Day

This is Beanz our new puppy (a relative of our sweet Mr Jones who died recently).  Enjoying our history lesson on the couch.  We are reading about pearl habor today.



Monica

Sent from my AT&T Smartphone by HTC

Women On Mission

This past August I was named the new Women's Ministry Director at our church.  WOW....that God  uses the imperfect to accomplish His will.  Yes, I am a willing vessel and excited about all that God is doing!  Just look at some of the things our women are up to.....

Just say YYYYEEEEESSSS to VVVV BBBB SSSS

CBA Lunch with the Fairworkers

Mama Tina's serving dinner

RBC Girlfriends packing Thanksgiving baskets 

Angie Terry sharing Jesus with children picking up Thanksgiving baskets at the IGA

Mama Tina's crew Nov. 2010

Tonight we celebrated Chuck's dad's 74th birthday at Cracker Barrel.  Mr. Billy went on to the car...so I snapped a picture of Mrs. Sue and the boys.  Yep, she let them all buy something so they are really happy!

Monica

Sent from my AT&T Smartphone by HTC

I am so thankful for friends who love me...even though I am a little "cracked."

Monica

Sent from my AT&T Smartphone by HTC