Hey Y'all!
Yesterday, after a very stressful couple of weeks, I cashed in 3 gift cards at a salon/spa. I had my first "Hot Stone Massage" and a lucious pedicure. Ladies, it was beyond wonderful. I was so nervous because for the first time I agreed to use the male massuese at the salon I went to. The other one is Russian and I am sure served in the Gestapo. Extremely large and strong hands...enough said, but so you know she made me cry into the triangle you put your face down into. So I chose Kavan (pronounced Kevin but whatever?) To be honest I thought he would be rough or perverted and yes, even gay. But he was a wonderful young man with a lovely wife and new baby girl. So much for my judgemental attitude. Just keeping it real y'all. He rubbed my back, shoulders. legs, neck, arms and even my hands and fingers with this luscious oil and pressed wonderfully hot smooth stones over all these muscle groups. Heaven! I did let him know before we ever started that I am the most tense woman in the world. Period. I do not know how to relax at all. When told to relax I get tighter and even more inflexible. He did admit that I needed more work and was full of knots but he did a marvelous job and I will get another one of these asap! I would love to be a "spa tester" for a career choice. I think I would do an excellent job. Not much demand for that profession though. But I also would love a pedicure chair installed in my living room. That is the first thing I would buy if I ever got really rich. Keep the fancy cars and furcoats. Give me a pedicure chair with heat and massage controls! Maybe I could afford Kavan to come over and stone my whole family!
Bless Y'all
Cindy
My goal with this blog is to keep a journal type account of my walk with Christ, my children and my grandchildren. To share what wisdom I have been given and have learned. To share the occasional recipe, photograph, funny story and possibly a teary one. God's mercies are new every morning. We each get a fresh, clean slate each day. So grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!
My Babies
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The desires of your heart.....
Hey Y'all,
This has been a tough week for me...to say the least. Lots of things going on at work, at home and around my little community. I have relied heavily on my prayer sisters for prayer and support and shoulders this week and I owe you sweet ladies a huge thank you. I will be cooking for you soon.....I promise. I know each and every woman has tough things going on in her life and some times are just tougher than others. The Bible study I am doing on Esther is really helping me grasp some of these concepts with new armor to put on and bigger shields to put up against strikes on my family. There it is the desire of my heart. Family. All families have struggles and problems but are there not times when your own seem astronomical?? Mine do right now. Just absolutely out of this world. So yesterday after a hard day. I cried alot and I whined to God alot and I fumed a whole lot and then I went....shopping. By myself. Therapy that I so enjoy. I went to a neighboring city and I looked around and tried stuff on and committed to lose weight when I had to go up a size in my jeans. I am going to the gym every day next week and no more cheating on my eating. I promise. Then on the way home, while I was listening to that wonderful song by Third Day, "Revelation." I saw it. A church marquee sign with this verse on it; "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you desires or your heart." I was already crying to the song and that clinched it. I was flat out bawling. I am sure I was a driving hazard but thankfully I made it home. I do try and delight myself in the Lord. I love His Word, His people, His house and all the things of God. I love doing Bible studies and digging in the Word. I love deep conversations about what books of the Bible mean and how history intertwines with the scriptures. (Don't you too, Tracy??) My accountability group and the praises and prayers we lift up to the heavens are pure joy in service to the Lord.
So, I am asking myself, "What is to really delight in the Lord?" I looked up in my concordenance this verse and I found out to delight in someone is to experience great pleasure and joy in his or her presence. This happens only when we know that person really well. So, to delight in the Lord we must know Him better. Makes perfect sense. The hanger of this verse is in the next verse. We must commit our ways to Him. To commit ourselves to the Lord means entrusting everything - our lives, families, jobs, posessions - to His control and guidance. This is HARD stuff people. Way hard. According to Psalms 37:7 We should be willing to wait patiently for Him to work out what is best for us. Hard stuff....again. The following verses in this Psalm tell us to not worry or fret. This leads to anger and evil. As the text goes on it tells me to deal with these issues with humility, calm faith and hope in His deliverance. Calmness is an attribute I struggle with. High strung and A.D.D. describe me better. Oh Lord, I pray that I look to You for my help and not within my own self for answers. Pray for me, faithful readers (all 6) that God continues to bring me closer to Him. Parenting and marriage are really brutal at times. But that is this world against the family in this age we live in. Hard words to live by and to put into practice and into faith.
Bless Y'all
Cindy
This has been a tough week for me...to say the least. Lots of things going on at work, at home and around my little community. I have relied heavily on my prayer sisters for prayer and support and shoulders this week and I owe you sweet ladies a huge thank you. I will be cooking for you soon.....I promise. I know each and every woman has tough things going on in her life and some times are just tougher than others. The Bible study I am doing on Esther is really helping me grasp some of these concepts with new armor to put on and bigger shields to put up against strikes on my family. There it is the desire of my heart. Family. All families have struggles and problems but are there not times when your own seem astronomical?? Mine do right now. Just absolutely out of this world. So yesterday after a hard day. I cried alot and I whined to God alot and I fumed a whole lot and then I went....shopping. By myself. Therapy that I so enjoy. I went to a neighboring city and I looked around and tried stuff on and committed to lose weight when I had to go up a size in my jeans. I am going to the gym every day next week and no more cheating on my eating. I promise. Then on the way home, while I was listening to that wonderful song by Third Day, "Revelation." I saw it. A church marquee sign with this verse on it; "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you desires or your heart." I was already crying to the song and that clinched it. I was flat out bawling. I am sure I was a driving hazard but thankfully I made it home. I do try and delight myself in the Lord. I love His Word, His people, His house and all the things of God. I love doing Bible studies and digging in the Word. I love deep conversations about what books of the Bible mean and how history intertwines with the scriptures. (Don't you too, Tracy??) My accountability group and the praises and prayers we lift up to the heavens are pure joy in service to the Lord.
So, I am asking myself, "What is to really delight in the Lord?" I looked up in my concordenance this verse and I found out to delight in someone is to experience great pleasure and joy in his or her presence. This happens only when we know that person really well. So, to delight in the Lord we must know Him better. Makes perfect sense. The hanger of this verse is in the next verse. We must commit our ways to Him. To commit ourselves to the Lord means entrusting everything - our lives, families, jobs, posessions - to His control and guidance. This is HARD stuff people. Way hard. According to Psalms 37:7 We should be willing to wait patiently for Him to work out what is best for us. Hard stuff....again. The following verses in this Psalm tell us to not worry or fret. This leads to anger and evil. As the text goes on it tells me to deal with these issues with humility, calm faith and hope in His deliverance. Calmness is an attribute I struggle with. High strung and A.D.D. describe me better. Oh Lord, I pray that I look to You for my help and not within my own self for answers. Pray for me, faithful readers (all 6) that God continues to bring me closer to Him. Parenting and marriage are really brutal at times. But that is this world against the family in this age we live in. Hard words to live by and to put into practice and into faith.
Bless Y'all
Cindy
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
What is happening???
Hey Y'all,
For the last several days I have been watching the news, reading the paper, listening to conversations etc... I am very nosy. One of my many faults. What is happening in this world? It is spiraling down into such a pit of pure sin at such a rapid rate is literally staggering to me. In the last week I have read about horrible abuses inflicted on a young woman by her own father who murdered one of the 7 children he fathered by her while he kept locked, raped and abused for years in his own basement. What an absolute horror story she has lived. People in the United States have went on shooting rampages in churches, family homes and random people on the streets including an 18 month old baby. Horrible. The mass layoffs that so many are going through that is changing entire lifestyles of people right in my own small community. Devastating. This world is aching for healing and peace. I know that this is the enemies world. I know true, full peace will only come when Jesus rides through this world and takes His rightful place on the throne. I believe that is what my own heart is aching for... watching for. I see so much terror and calamity all around us on this planet. How much can people take and give? I tremble in pure fear when I think of how righteously angry God must be when He sees the people He created act in such terrible ways. I am not presuming to know the very mind of God but, how can He not be angry? We have ruined the beautiful home He gave us, slaughtered millions of innocent babies, plundered many lands and people all over the earth. Lived as "fatted cows" while we see our own neighbors struggle. I am so guilty of this. I am blessed with so much and do so very little to help others. Really help. I pray that God would awaken me to more of His children's needs. What better witness is there than the hands, feet and yes...pocketbook of Jesus seen through His children. I cannot help everyone but I can help someone. If we would all do this we would make such a dent in this sin-filled world. Imagine how the devil would pitch such a fit at the workings of God's own children in the place that he calls home.
Bless Y'all
Cindy
For the last several days I have been watching the news, reading the paper, listening to conversations etc... I am very nosy. One of my many faults. What is happening in this world? It is spiraling down into such a pit of pure sin at such a rapid rate is literally staggering to me. In the last week I have read about horrible abuses inflicted on a young woman by her own father who murdered one of the 7 children he fathered by her while he kept locked, raped and abused for years in his own basement. What an absolute horror story she has lived. People in the United States have went on shooting rampages in churches, family homes and random people on the streets including an 18 month old baby. Horrible. The mass layoffs that so many are going through that is changing entire lifestyles of people right in my own small community. Devastating. This world is aching for healing and peace. I know that this is the enemies world. I know true, full peace will only come when Jesus rides through this world and takes His rightful place on the throne. I believe that is what my own heart is aching for... watching for. I see so much terror and calamity all around us on this planet. How much can people take and give? I tremble in pure fear when I think of how righteously angry God must be when He sees the people He created act in such terrible ways. I am not presuming to know the very mind of God but, how can He not be angry? We have ruined the beautiful home He gave us, slaughtered millions of innocent babies, plundered many lands and people all over the earth. Lived as "fatted cows" while we see our own neighbors struggle. I am so guilty of this. I am blessed with so much and do so very little to help others. Really help. I pray that God would awaken me to more of His children's needs. What better witness is there than the hands, feet and yes...pocketbook of Jesus seen through His children. I cannot help everyone but I can help someone. If we would all do this we would make such a dent in this sin-filled world. Imagine how the devil would pitch such a fit at the workings of God's own children in the place that he calls home.
Bless Y'all
Cindy
Saturday, March 7, 2009
The Look
Hey Y'all,
Have you ever gotten "The Look" from someone? Or maybe given "The Look" to someone? The good Lord knows I have delivered it and often. My children say, "Oh no, you just got "the look" from mom." Many times in their lives they got it from me. Whether in church, the mall, a doctors' office or anywhere that certain behaviors and attitudes were needed. I am sure you know what it looks like too. Eyebrows raised, eyes set in stone, mouth tight and firm, jaw just set, head slightly cocked to one side and sometimes your hand is placed just so on your hip. sometimes that might even come in handy for a quick demonstration of special attention getting. You get my drift..... One day my grandchildren will fear the dreaded "Look" from their own mothers and then I can hug them and love on them and over their precious heads give my daughters...."The Look"
There is also another kind of "Look". This is the one we give when we are being just so nice and sweet but when we turn our heads we roll our eyes, shake our heads and often lowly groan. I saw this look this week at the bank. A sweet teller I really like was working the drive-thru. I was at the counter talking to a friend (imagine that). An older man pulled up in his pick-up truck and hollered into the window. "Hey there sweet thang!" She politely smiled and said, "Hello, Mr. Carlson, how are you today?" That is all the ammo he needed. He proceeded to tell her all about his hunting dogs, his back ache and how much money he wished he had in her bank. On and on and on. When she wished him a good day and thanks for his business (for the 20th time) he said, "I wish I was your boyfriend you purty thang." She smiled and turned her head and then I saw it. "The Look" She rolled her eyes and sighed. I was totally sympathetic to her. Lots of people tell you that he is just an old man and he is harmless. I say when do you cross the line into old and harmless? I think he was just old and irritating. I know that sounds mean but get real people. When I am cranky and fussy and plain out mean. People give me "The Look" and think some pretty unkind things. I am sure of this even though I have never done that! OH, was that a lightening bolt?! Anyway, when do you cross into the " she is just an old lady" territory? That is "The Look" I want. The one where people think I am quirky and cute in my attitude. I cannot wait until I can give and get "Looks" that are much more appreciated by the recipients. I am quite sure that as weird as I am now that I will be even weirder and quirkier when I am old and then...the "Looks" I will get!
Bless Y'all,
Cindy
Have you ever gotten "The Look" from someone? Or maybe given "The Look" to someone? The good Lord knows I have delivered it and often. My children say, "Oh no, you just got "the look" from mom." Many times in their lives they got it from me. Whether in church, the mall, a doctors' office or anywhere that certain behaviors and attitudes were needed. I am sure you know what it looks like too. Eyebrows raised, eyes set in stone, mouth tight and firm, jaw just set, head slightly cocked to one side and sometimes your hand is placed just so on your hip. sometimes that might even come in handy for a quick demonstration of special attention getting. You get my drift..... One day my grandchildren will fear the dreaded "Look" from their own mothers and then I can hug them and love on them and over their precious heads give my daughters...."The Look"
There is also another kind of "Look". This is the one we give when we are being just so nice and sweet but when we turn our heads we roll our eyes, shake our heads and often lowly groan. I saw this look this week at the bank. A sweet teller I really like was working the drive-thru. I was at the counter talking to a friend (imagine that). An older man pulled up in his pick-up truck and hollered into the window. "Hey there sweet thang!" She politely smiled and said, "Hello, Mr. Carlson, how are you today?" That is all the ammo he needed. He proceeded to tell her all about his hunting dogs, his back ache and how much money he wished he had in her bank. On and on and on. When she wished him a good day and thanks for his business (for the 20th time) he said, "I wish I was your boyfriend you purty thang." She smiled and turned her head and then I saw it. "The Look" She rolled her eyes and sighed. I was totally sympathetic to her. Lots of people tell you that he is just an old man and he is harmless. I say when do you cross the line into old and harmless? I think he was just old and irritating. I know that sounds mean but get real people. When I am cranky and fussy and plain out mean. People give me "The Look" and think some pretty unkind things. I am sure of this even though I have never done that! OH, was that a lightening bolt?! Anyway, when do you cross into the " she is just an old lady" territory? That is "The Look" I want. The one where people think I am quirky and cute in my attitude. I cannot wait until I can give and get "Looks" that are much more appreciated by the recipients. I am quite sure that as weird as I am now that I will be even weirder and quirkier when I am old and then...the "Looks" I will get!
Bless Y'all,
Cindy
Monday, March 2, 2009
Ramblings
Hey Y'all,
Today is a glorious snow day for me here in the south. We got a huge snowstorm all along the east coast last night and today. There is a good 5 inches of snow right outside in my very own yard. Love, love it!!! I am almost positive I will be home tomorrow too! I'm praying! I know we will have to make these days up but I will deal with that later...much later.
This past weekend was my birthday and lets say that I will need to take a week off of work to use up the spa gift certificates I got. I would love to be a spa tester for a living if there was such a job. I wonder if my family thinks I need all the facials, manicures, massages and such? I do tend to live on the unrelaxed end of the pool. The last time I had a massage I told that sweet (strongest woman ever!!) lady that I was the most tense person in the world. She worked me over like I was a sirloin steak being sold for a New York strip. I could barely walk to my car. Thank the Lord for heated seats in my Durango. I will be asking for a less invasive massage this time. Maybe hot stones. Unless that involves hurling them towards my tightly wrapped shoulders I am willing to try that one. Every year of my married life my birthday has fell upon one of the biggest hunting expos in the south. The "Walker Days". This is a coon hunters paradise. There are vendors, dogs, bench shows, hunts and more guys in Carharts than you can count. My husband loves this event. He never forgets my birthday because it always comes at the same time as this show. This year he brought home a new hunting puppy. The cutest little Walker dog you ever saw!! He is just six weeks old and so tiny. Since it was so cold I said (foolish girl) sure he can stay in the house tonight. I have never in my life been so exhausted. This little terror tore my whole house apart, horrified my little Darla and barked like a seasoned coon dog of 12 years. The loudest puppy in the free world...no doubt. After many, many accidents though the little dickens did learn to go towards the door to go out. He is smart, I'll give him that. He rarely made it, but he got the idea. He is now in a dog lot with our female dog, Ginger, who is looking after him very sweetly. I saw him chewing her ear off. Lucky her....maybe she can no longer hear him. Loud, too loud.
My sweet daughter, Erica, made me a pie for my birthday because I do not like cake. I have managed to 3/4 of it by myself. I secretly threw the rest in the trash this morning because every time I walk by the place I hid it I took a bite. I should be ashamed but I am trying to lose 15 pounds before that sweet girl gets married this fall. Pie is off my list. Now on to another topic. I am joining many other ladies in the Living Proof Scripture Memory project. You choose a verse every 2 weeks and commit it to memory. My new one for the first 2 weeks of March is:
Proverbs 3:3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. NIV
This has been a really great thing for me to do. Keeps me focused on a verse that I really want to apply to my life and growth in the Lord. I really recommend y'all do this yourselves. My dear friend Kim and I are really committed to do this for the whole year. She is so faithful to send me her new verse every 2 weeks. I can't wait to read her newest verse. And did I mention that I love the new study on Esther I am doing? I am learning so much about God in this book that does not even mention His Holy Name. If it is coming to your church or and an area church, ladies please sign up. A true blessing. Hope y'all have a wonderful day.
Bless Y'all,
Cindy
Today is a glorious snow day for me here in the south. We got a huge snowstorm all along the east coast last night and today. There is a good 5 inches of snow right outside in my very own yard. Love, love it!!! I am almost positive I will be home tomorrow too! I'm praying! I know we will have to make these days up but I will deal with that later...much later.
This past weekend was my birthday and lets say that I will need to take a week off of work to use up the spa gift certificates I got. I would love to be a spa tester for a living if there was such a job. I wonder if my family thinks I need all the facials, manicures, massages and such? I do tend to live on the unrelaxed end of the pool. The last time I had a massage I told that sweet (strongest woman ever!!) lady that I was the most tense person in the world. She worked me over like I was a sirloin steak being sold for a New York strip. I could barely walk to my car. Thank the Lord for heated seats in my Durango. I will be asking for a less invasive massage this time. Maybe hot stones. Unless that involves hurling them towards my tightly wrapped shoulders I am willing to try that one. Every year of my married life my birthday has fell upon one of the biggest hunting expos in the south. The "Walker Days". This is a coon hunters paradise. There are vendors, dogs, bench shows, hunts and more guys in Carharts than you can count. My husband loves this event. He never forgets my birthday because it always comes at the same time as this show. This year he brought home a new hunting puppy. The cutest little Walker dog you ever saw!! He is just six weeks old and so tiny. Since it was so cold I said (foolish girl) sure he can stay in the house tonight. I have never in my life been so exhausted. This little terror tore my whole house apart, horrified my little Darla and barked like a seasoned coon dog of 12 years. The loudest puppy in the free world...no doubt. After many, many accidents though the little dickens did learn to go towards the door to go out. He is smart, I'll give him that. He rarely made it, but he got the idea. He is now in a dog lot with our female dog, Ginger, who is looking after him very sweetly. I saw him chewing her ear off. Lucky her....maybe she can no longer hear him. Loud, too loud.
My sweet daughter, Erica, made me a pie for my birthday because I do not like cake. I have managed to 3/4 of it by myself. I secretly threw the rest in the trash this morning because every time I walk by the place I hid it I took a bite. I should be ashamed but I am trying to lose 15 pounds before that sweet girl gets married this fall. Pie is off my list. Now on to another topic. I am joining many other ladies in the Living Proof Scripture Memory project. You choose a verse every 2 weeks and commit it to memory. My new one for the first 2 weeks of March is:
Proverbs 3:3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. NIV
This has been a really great thing for me to do. Keeps me focused on a verse that I really want to apply to my life and growth in the Lord. I really recommend y'all do this yourselves. My dear friend Kim and I are really committed to do this for the whole year. She is so faithful to send me her new verse every 2 weeks. I can't wait to read her newest verse. And did I mention that I love the new study on Esther I am doing? I am learning so much about God in this book that does not even mention His Holy Name. If it is coming to your church or and an area church, ladies please sign up. A true blessing. Hope y'all have a wonderful day.
Bless Y'all,
Cindy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)