Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Nuther good one...
I promise I'm not going to turn this blog into a nightly "talk about my devotion" time. It's just right now I feel like I'm waking up from a deep sleep. I'm excited that God is talking to me again...or rather...I'm excited that I'm able to HEAR Him again. Anyhoo...just wanted to share this:
"You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy." Psalm 16:11
Your joy is not based on your circumstances. Happiness may be based on what is happening to you, but not joy. Joy - a fruit of the Spirit - is like a deep well on the inside of you. It is not the fruit of your circumstance. No matter what you are facing in life, you can have joy in the midst of it. - From JM's Ending Your Day Right
It's not like these are new words to me. I've been a Christian for a long time. I've heard these things over and over. But, what awes me is that God knows just when you need to really hear these things. If I'd read that passage, say, last month...it wouldn't mean as much as it does to me today. Today...I'm excited to remember that I can have joy even though I'm going through some real crap right now. Yay!
One more thing...
"Oh I get by with a little help from my friends. Mmmm I get high with a little help from my friends. Oh I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends." - The Beatles
hehe.
"You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy." Psalm 16:11
Your joy is not based on your circumstances. Happiness may be based on what is happening to you, but not joy. Joy - a fruit of the Spirit - is like a deep well on the inside of you. It is not the fruit of your circumstance. No matter what you are facing in life, you can have joy in the midst of it. - From JM's Ending Your Day Right
It's not like these are new words to me. I've been a Christian for a long time. I've heard these things over and over. But, what awes me is that God knows just when you need to really hear these things. If I'd read that passage, say, last month...it wouldn't mean as much as it does to me today. Today...I'm excited to remember that I can have joy even though I'm going through some real crap right now. Yay!
One more thing...
"Oh I get by with a little help from my friends. Mmmm I get high with a little help from my friends. Oh I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends." - The Beatles
hehe.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
God's Peace. Like Calgon...only eleventy billion times better.
Things have been stressful lately. Work is so stressful that I'm working 10 hour days and having crying fits. My personal life...even worse. I've been freaking over some things this week. So bad that I've had to pull out the trusty old xanax just so I could calm down enough to sleep. This morning, I was so panicked that I could barely function. So, I prayed. "Please God. I need a miracle..."
On the way to work I thought, "Why do I keep doing this to myself?!" And by "this" I mean, separating myself from God. ABB, like you, I've been struggling with this. For three long years I've been moving further and further away. And for three long years, I've seen my life stagnate. I know what I need to do to make things right, but I'm lazy and I'm the queen of avoidance. Avoiding the physical (for lack of a better word) issues and the spiritual issues. Well, I avoid until I need a miracle. Then who's the first one I call on? God. I'm disgusted with myself for taking advantage of Him.
Anyway, I'm rambling. I did get my miracle today. And it came thru a friend...Jiff. Thanks pal.
The whole reason I'm really writing this blog is so I could talk about what I just read. You see as I was getting ready for bed, I decided I needed to get back in the Word. My life really has suffered since I stopped reading my Bible and praying...just spending time with and learning from God. So, I thought I'd start easy. Baby steps. I pulled the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer off of my bookshelf. I opened it to December 3rd and this is what it said:
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27
Jesus knew he was about to pass from this world and He wanted to leave us something. He could have left any number of good things, like His power and His name, and He did. But He also left us His peace. Jesus had a special kind of peace that surpassed anything mankind had ever known. He knew it was one of the most precious things He could give. Ask for and receive your inheritance tonight!
Um...........HELLO!
God knew I needed to read those EXACT words tonight. Earlier today I was praying for a miracle. God gave me one. And now he wants to remind me that he has also given me peace. I just need to receive it.
On the way to work I thought, "Why do I keep doing this to myself?!" And by "this" I mean, separating myself from God. ABB, like you, I've been struggling with this. For three long years I've been moving further and further away. And for three long years, I've seen my life stagnate. I know what I need to do to make things right, but I'm lazy and I'm the queen of avoidance. Avoiding the physical (for lack of a better word) issues and the spiritual issues. Well, I avoid until I need a miracle. Then who's the first one I call on? God. I'm disgusted with myself for taking advantage of Him.
Anyway, I'm rambling. I did get my miracle today. And it came thru a friend...Jiff. Thanks pal.
The whole reason I'm really writing this blog is so I could talk about what I just read. You see as I was getting ready for bed, I decided I needed to get back in the Word. My life really has suffered since I stopped reading my Bible and praying...just spending time with and learning from God. So, I thought I'd start easy. Baby steps. I pulled the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer off of my bookshelf. I opened it to December 3rd and this is what it said:
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27
Jesus knew he was about to pass from this world and He wanted to leave us something. He could have left any number of good things, like His power and His name, and He did. But He also left us His peace. Jesus had a special kind of peace that surpassed anything mankind had ever known. He knew it was one of the most precious things He could give. Ask for and receive your inheritance tonight!
Um...........HELLO!
God knew I needed to read those EXACT words tonight. Earlier today I was praying for a miracle. God gave me one. And now he wants to remind me that he has also given me peace. I just need to receive it.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Thanksgiving Week
On Tuesday Logan, Sam and I drove up to Petit Jean Mtn. Leisurely stops at overlooks and meandering down the easier trails...it was a beautiful day. I just wish we had gone a few weeks earlier. Most of the trees had dropped their leaves. Oh well. It was still nice.
Wednesday night, my family went to the Samauri Steakhouse for an unconventional Thanksgiving dinner. Sushi and cocktails all around. We had a blast. But...I'm kinda sad that I didn't have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. *tears*
Thursday, mom and I had to take one of her dogs to the emergency vet in Maumelle. Turns out the dog was fine. While we were doing that, my dad and brothers were at my grandparents having their traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Later on, we all met up to go see Four Christmases. It's really funny!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Twilighters...
If you haven't read the Twilight books you're missing out. Good stuffs! Go read them before you see the movie.
Last night I went with a group of my pals to the midnight showing of the movie. We had a blast. The movie is magical and beautiful. Siiiiiiigh. <-- Hehe. That was my inner teenage girl talking. Seriously though...FUN TIMES!
The Twins. *rolling eyes*
They talk and move so fast! This was the only pic I got of them...and I think it sums them up beautifully! =)
The Twins and their momma!
KK & I
Me n My Momma!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Recurring Dream...
I have two recurring anxiety dreams. The school anxiety dream...I still have them even though I haven't been in school for years. You know the one... Usually people dream that they've shown up at school without pants or a top, or completely naked. My school dream is: I show up at school...I'm running late and I can't remember my locker combo to get my books. Or I'm in class and I can't remember any of the material and we're having a test over it in a few minutes. Sigh. I really think that I am the queen of anxiety dreams. This week I've had TWO. Not the school dream though. This is a different one. The falling from great heights dream.
Monday night I dreamed that I was driving by myself along a highway. I had to cross over a ridiculously tall bridge. Somehow I lost control of the car and went over the side. In my dream I'm saying to my self, "OMG. Is this real or a dream? I think this is real. This feels real!" and then I start praying. In this dream, it takes me a long time to fall into the water. I'm praying, "Lord, please welcome me to heaven." and then I hit the water. And I wake up. I thought this dream was interesting because usually when I'm praying to God, I'm praying for him to keep me safe...to keep me alive. In this one, I just want to go Home.
Last night I had the dream again! The gist is the same, only this time I'm in the back seat of a van. There are four of us. We're on an overpass and we're curving down and around to get to another interstate (if that makes any sense). Again, it is ridicuously high. And again, the driver loses control of the van and we go over. As we're falling, I'm praying, "God please keep us safe. Help us to land safely. Please keep us in the palm of your hand." And guess what. He did. This is where the dream differs from all of my other dreams. Usually I hit water, ground, whatever and wake up. This time we actually landed safely. After we hit the ground, my friends spilled out of the van exclaiming, "OMG. How did we survive?!" And I said, "I'll tell you how. I prayed." I looked up at the bridge...way to high up for someone to survive a fall...and thought to myself, "I need to take a picture so I can post it on my blog!" And then I woke up. =)
So, I'm sure that these dreams are a result of my current financial stress. I have this CC that I need to pay down. I have Christmas gifts to buy, the usual bills to pay and now I've agreed to buy this really great furniture. It is my dream furniture though. So, I'm going to justify it. I KNOW I SHOULD SPEND THE MONEY ON BILLS. But I've never had a matching bedroom set before. And this one is so pretty and VINTAGE. Sigh. Anyway, that HAS to be the reason I'm having the falling dream, right? Cause I googled "falling from great heights dream" and got a page that said I might be having an "astral projection"! hahahaha!
This page sums it up for me:
As with most common dream themes, falling is an indication of insecurities, instabilities, and anxieties. You are feeling overwhelmed and out of control in some situation in your waking life. This may reflect the way you feel in your relationship or in your work environment. You have lost your foothold and can not hang on or keep up with the hustle and bustle of daily life. When you fall, there is nothing that you can hold on to. You more or less are forced toward this downward motion without any control. This lost of control may parallel a waking situation in your life. Falling dreams also often reflect a sense of failure or inferiority in some circumstance or situation. It may be the fear of failing in your job/school, loss of status, or failure in love. You feel shameful and lack a sense of pride. You are unable to keep up with the status quo or that you don't measure up.
Monday night I dreamed that I was driving by myself along a highway. I had to cross over a ridiculously tall bridge. Somehow I lost control of the car and went over the side. In my dream I'm saying to my self, "OMG. Is this real or a dream? I think this is real. This feels real!" and then I start praying. In this dream, it takes me a long time to fall into the water. I'm praying, "Lord, please welcome me to heaven." and then I hit the water. And I wake up. I thought this dream was interesting because usually when I'm praying to God, I'm praying for him to keep me safe...to keep me alive. In this one, I just want to go Home.
Last night I had the dream again! The gist is the same, only this time I'm in the back seat of a van. There are four of us. We're on an overpass and we're curving down and around to get to another interstate (if that makes any sense). Again, it is ridicuously high. And again, the driver loses control of the van and we go over. As we're falling, I'm praying, "God please keep us safe. Help us to land safely. Please keep us in the palm of your hand." And guess what. He did. This is where the dream differs from all of my other dreams. Usually I hit water, ground, whatever and wake up. This time we actually landed safely. After we hit the ground, my friends spilled out of the van exclaiming, "OMG. How did we survive?!" And I said, "I'll tell you how. I prayed." I looked up at the bridge...way to high up for someone to survive a fall...and thought to myself, "I need to take a picture so I can post it on my blog!" And then I woke up. =)
So, I'm sure that these dreams are a result of my current financial stress. I have this CC that I need to pay down. I have Christmas gifts to buy, the usual bills to pay and now I've agreed to buy this really great furniture. It is my dream furniture though. So, I'm going to justify it. I KNOW I SHOULD SPEND THE MONEY ON BILLS. But I've never had a matching bedroom set before. And this one is so pretty and VINTAGE. Sigh. Anyway, that HAS to be the reason I'm having the falling dream, right? Cause I googled "falling from great heights dream" and got a page that said I might be having an "astral projection"! hahahaha!
This page sums it up for me:
As with most common dream themes, falling is an indication of insecurities, instabilities, and anxieties. You are feeling overwhelmed and out of control in some situation in your waking life. This may reflect the way you feel in your relationship or in your work environment. You have lost your foothold and can not hang on or keep up with the hustle and bustle of daily life. When you fall, there is nothing that you can hold on to. You more or less are forced toward this downward motion without any control. This lost of control may parallel a waking situation in your life. Falling dreams also often reflect a sense of failure or inferiority in some circumstance or situation. It may be the fear of failing in your job/school, loss of status, or failure in love. You feel shameful and lack a sense of pride. You are unable to keep up with the status quo or that you don't measure up.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ABB!
I love you so much! I hope you have the most fabulous birthday ever!
ABB and CBB at 16.
ABB and CBB (holding CBB #2) at...25?
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