Just thinking....

So many times we long to do BIG things for God.....when in reality if we are doing what we should do every day, minute by minute, we ARE doing the best and biggest thing we could do for God. Choosing to die daily to self is not easy. I want my way! I just do. But I know my way is NOT best and usually makes a mess (a big one). If we are going to live for Christ we must learn to die to what we want and surrender to God's way.

Surrender. Sacrifice. These are not popular words in our society today. Our culture tells you to do what is best for you. Be selfish!(to quote the movie "The Women".) It's all about you! Surrender is for weaklings and Sacrifice???? What is that???? For the most part, most of us truly have no idea of what it is to sacrifice. God is always teaching us a lesson and dealing with sin areas in our lives. Right now He has been dealing with my unwillingness to surrender to His plan regarding some circumstances in my life. This has actually been a lifetime struggle, only now am I realizing that the root issue is that I don't want to accept what God has given me....whatever the circumstance may be! It's not what I want. It does not feel good or is not as convienent as I would like. I dream of so much more. I desire so much more. I want to have fun and be happy. I don't want to struggle and face heartache. I don't want to die to myself and say that it truly does not matter how people treat me, if I am popular or not, rejected or accepted by peers, worn out to exhaustion or fully rested, red or black in my checkbook, time for recreation or full time on duty with children, homeschool and housework, if my houes is clean or a total mess, my calendar is full or empty, my husband is working or home early to help with dinner, I feel overwhelmed or in total control....these things do not determine my happiness nor do they define who I am. I am a Child of God and He is crazy about me. The circumstances he allows into my life are there for a reason. To help me become the woman He created me to be. To help me learn to lay down my life and my desires and accept HIS will and provision, which is better than anything I could do myself. I have found myself so focused on the future and where I want to be that I have not been thankful for where I am now and all that God has done for me NOW. Oh, I have been so wrong and this is a struggle in my life. I realize it now and want to allow God to change me through His Holy Spirit....to learn to accept what He gives as His best. To take joy in where He has me and the lovely way He fills my life with good things. Thankful that He allows tough circumstances to come into my life to expose sin areas I have been blind to, that He loves me enough to not leave me the way I am.

My 37th Birthday

I had a great 37th birthday. Mom took us out on Thursday night (Sept 11th) to the Log Cabin. Was wonderful! Can't wait to go back. It's out in the country near a dirt road. It's truly a little log cabin, but the food there is fabulous. Mom and I split a steak that could have fed my entire family! I highly recommend this place, but plan on a wait if there is more than 2 in your group. The wait was part of the fun for us. My boys loved playing with the 6 dogs that lived on the land surrounding the restaurant. On Friday (my birthday) Carmen Pearce was the biggest blessing. She showed up that morning, as I was washing dishes from breakfast, with coffee and a muffin from Atlanta Bread. I cried....it was just so sweet and just what I needed:) A friend with coffee! We ate lunch with my dad at the Hotdog Shop in Headland and then visited with Mom at her house for a bit. Later that night Carmen came over and kept the boys for Chuck to take me out to dinner. What a friend! I think friends make birthdays so much fun. I have been blessed with great friends who just make life fun. I am so thankful for those of you who just know what to do when I need it....for all the times you have sent cards or showed up with meals or given me chocolate. You are all great and a blessing to my life.
Another birthday treat was getting to eat Sushi with my lifelong friend Natalie and go to the movies with her to see The Women. We don't see each other much (except for the past 2 weeks..which has been so much fun) but we always pick up right where we left off. We have shared so much of lifes up and downs together.....from grade school through high school on to college and now where we are....me married and homeschooling 3 boys and her having survived Crohns, her mother's death and a divorce.
Family and Friends are a blessing and I don't want to take either for granted. Chuck was wonderful my birthday weekend. I had places to be that I didn't feel like being...yet he encouraged me...and did all the housework and looked after our children..and sent me out to play with my friends a few times....that was a wonderful and refreshing gift and I am thankful for him. I really could not have done what all I needed to do over the weekend without him. He helped me keep from falling apart. He was a blessing....what a gift to remember and celebrate.
My brother, Trey, was in Memphis having his kidney stones blasted on my birthday. We talked and he was doing good. His wife, Carmen, had picked him up from the hospital and they were on their way home. Bless his heart....I hate I could not have been up there with him.
So much to be thankful for....another year....and precious people to share my life with. Thank you God for pouring out your lavish love on me.

Destin with Family

We took of on a spontaneous trip to visit some family we love dearly....Tom, Colette, Stephanie and Wes. They were celebrating Tom and Colette's 27th wedding anniversary and Steph and Wes's first. Chuck had the honor of performing their wedding ceremony last August. The kids swam and played on the beach. I wished I had a picture of the sea slug Tolar found.

Back to School

We are starting week 4 of our 3rd year of homeschooling. Trace is in 2nd grade this year. Tolar is almost halfway through with 4th grade.....yes, and it's week 4, so we will be moving on up to 5th grade in the next month. That child scares me. He's smarter than his mother:) No comments on that, please. We have gotten off to great start and I am so thankful. Homeschooling has it's challenges, but overall I am greatly blessed to have this privilage. I do want to run away somedays. Don't we all. But even if I did, I am sure I would not be gone for long. These days are treasures. These boys will be grown too soon and I will have LOTS of good memories of our times together. Let's just hope I still have a mind to remember all these memories....because often I feel like I have lost mine. Maybe I have :)

Trace's 7th Birthday

Trace turned 7 years old Monday. We spent the day doing whatever he wanted to do. Most of it was spent playing MarioKart on wii. We did have lunch with Chuck and Maz at Pizza Hut. In the afternoon Maz and us went to visit Papa James and Cindy. Later in the day I picked up Coleman, David and Devan to come over for dinner. We then headed to Adventureland for fun and games. Thankfully, Grant and Chellse showed up to help keep track of all the boys.It was one of the best birthdays ever. I so enjoyed spending time with my new 7 year old.

Trace's Quote for the Day

Trace explaining things to Turner: "Turner, first Tolar came out of Mommy's tummy. Then I came out of Mommy's tummy and then You came out of Mommy's tummy. And Daddy was there, so that make him our Daddy."

Istanbul, Turkey WE ARE HERE!!! WHOO HOO

Our group on our first night here.
What we walked through to get to dinner

Chuck going through security for us to get into CHURCH today.

Finally we have slowed down long enough for me to update you on our trip. I am totally in love with this city already. It is more beautiful than I imagined. OH! and the food is fabulous. It is much more healthy than we eat in the States. The cooks do not use canned veggies...and their produce is not sprayed with harmful pesticides. It is amazing and I could eat myself sick. We have done TONS of walking today and my feet hurt. We came back to our hotel for a quick rest before heading out to dinner. I can't wait:) I am including some pictures of our LONG trip here and our first night and day in the city. I will try to update some more throughout the week. We are having so much fun. I love you all.

Finally, I get this posted...a month later. We are home now, of course. Istanbul was amazing. I am blown away by God. He constantly amazes me. Life in a relationship with Christ is full of adventure and wonder. He wants to us to go and tell others about the Hope we have in Him....if we are just willing and available He will send us. Yes, you have to overcome fears and trust Him. Just be willing to GO......and see what He does in your own life. I am so thankful that God provided in everyway for Chuck and I to take this trip together. Really, that a stay at home, homeschooling mom of three boys would have the opportunities God has given me to GO.....I truly stand in awe at the way He loves me. He gives me the desires of my heart. I don't deserve His goodness, yet He pours out his love and blessings. More than anything I want to follow Him WHEREVER He leads me, doing WHATEVER He calls me to do. I don't want to miss a thing.