It Happens!

Okay...i admit it...i tried to get this blog thing going a couple of years ago and it didn't take off.

Obviously!!

I have been wanting to write about this for sometime, but clearly I have not MADE the time to do it. We as humans MAKE time for what we WANT to do, even if it is being lazy and watching tv, but that is another topic for another time!

On the weekend of January 25 I took off from the icy roads of Kentucky to attend one of my best dear friend's mother's Memorial service in "Sweet Home Alabama" (yes I did sing it while I typed it!). It was a great, but whirlwind trip!! On my way I was very fortunate to only run into two icy spots here in KY, and made the rest of the trip without a hitch (well...almost). On my way, I had a great time listening and singing music. For those of you who know me well, you know I LOVE to sing, but have serious stage fright! I am confessing this to you and working on repentance!

Anyway, I was on my way to this beautiful place called Gorham's Bluff and by the time I got to Alabama I was in the dark! Here's the thing; Alabama county roads are not labeled well AT ALL!! They do not have "street signs" at the corners of streets like most places have; but they have signs which are UK blue (I think it is funny for Alabama to have UK colored signs...just sayin') and have "County Road 457" printed on them in bright yellow. These signs are VERY hard to read when you are going 55 and it is dark, rainy, and foggy! So I was following printed directions as a back up because cell service in that part of Alabama is almost non existent...therefore no GPS signal for the phone! I was driving along and came to this long stretch of straight road and hit a hill going about 55 mph. By the time i got to the bottom of the hill of said straight stretch (no curves) of road the music was blaring (It Happens by Sugarland was playing) and my foot was soo heavy that I was going 70 mph in a 55 mph zone. Well...It Happened alright! Blue lights in the rear view! oops!

The officer (who was cute by the way) asked me where I was going in such a hurry. I replied " To be honest I have no idea..I am supposed to be going out in the middle of nowhere to Gorham's Bluff in Pisgah." He said "Yeah, I know it." and then "Do you know what the speed limit is through here?" I answered and said, "The last sign I saw said 55, so I thought that was the speed limit." He said, "It is 55, but you were going 70!! Let me see your license and insurance card. Sit tight and I will be right back" So he was gone for about 5 minutes and I used the opportunity to review my printed directions again so that I could keep my eyes on the road and the speedometer a little more closely. When he came back he said " I just gave you a warning so that you don't have to come and appear in court...slow down and take your time. I will give you a short cut!" I was VERY thankful to just get a warning, a short cut,and some eye candy for that night!

After the long weekend I was reflecting back; I was VERY thankful for the provisions given to me by God. The provisions are as follows: traveling mercies, a warning INSTEAD of a ticket, safe roads, a car that runs and is reliable, money to be able to go, friends that I love and that they love me (which I consider family). I know there are many that I did not list, but i only have a little amount of time as I am writing this post on my lunch break!

There are so many ways to apply these happenings to my life. I like to keep it simple...so here is one way it applies. We all are heading to a destination, to a place, a home. There are MANY things that distract us from getting there. Life is the biggest distraction...well, all that comes with it! It gets hard to keep your way mapped and straight..even with directions!! Then you add darkness, our own sins and selfish desires, and it becomes almost impossible to navigate and you can't do it...you're just human. We all need a Savior to do it for us...that Savior is Jesus Christ, the Light of the World that removes darkness. By putting your trust and faith in Him, following Him, reading His Word (that's our printed directions), HE will carry us home to spend eternity with Him!! That is the best news I have heard all day!

Well..time to get back to the grind. I will post again soon about the memorial service when I have more time! We'll talk again soon!

Great day!!

    Today started off as a normal day...not much extraordinary about it, just another day. Sometimes, I take the day that I have been given for granted. Today, work was well..work. A normal day in the life for a tax collector consists of many phone calls, questions, problems, and solutions. After work was when my day really started to get great! I was so glad to be among the members and attendees of my church tonight...especially the kiddos.
    My passion is Children's ministry and I love teaching, sharing God's word, and discussing Jesus with my kiddos at the Point. I have a great team of volunteers that are awesome and always prepared! Now, I don't have any children of my own, but I count all these kids as "my" kids. So, I guess I have around 60 kids...but none of the laundry to go with it (yes!!)! I told the kids tonight...that i am not where I planned to be. if i had my way, I would have been a teacher in the school system with summers off and the mounds of work that go with it. But God...I love that phrase...had better things in store for me. When I gave Him total control (because I am human and I like to think that I am in control) of my life, he had greater and better things for me. We were all created in his image for HIS GLORY...nothing else!! So, by me giving my life to God and giving up the illusion of control...he is using me way beyond my own strength and abilities, to glorify Him and Him alone. I pray that he would continue to equip me...called by God to teach the gospel to children and to anyone that will listen...for His glory and His glory alone. I am soo far from where I should be, but his grace makes up all the short comings and failures I could ever have or encounter. Please pray that God would continue to stir and increase a refreshing and passion in me and "my " volunteers that work tirelessly and go above and beyond to partner with parents as we go and make disciples.

    After church, I got to have dinner with some of my church family! It was great to hang out with the Jones and Lawrence family tonight at Frisch's! Veggie Soup and a grilled cheese, with the cool night air of fall... there is not a better meal to be found! Go ahead and try...I'll wait!

   Tomorrows adventure....plumbing session #3 at moms! Hopefully, this will be the last one for a while! 

It's been a while!!

    Wow! It has been so long since I have written a blog post! In fact, I have not written a blog post since I stopped using my Myspace account. The reason why I figured that I would start again was because I always have something to say! Surprised? If you know me well, you are not surprised, you are probably just wondering why I ever stopped in the first place!
    My life is always crazy. It goes from boring and normal to strange and funny in the blink of an eye. This adventure that we call life is short and I believe that we should make the best of our time on earth. We only get one shot! What are you going to do with your shot? Will you waste your time fretting about the things and troubles of this world? Try to do as much good as you can? Try to make yourself happy and rely on your own path and strength to survive? I have though a lot about this especially since I had a coworker and lady I knew die very young and way too soon. You never know what day could be your last, so I intend to live a little more from here on out!
    The Christian life is not easy. Many people get confused by this. It is simple, but it is NOT easy. Our joy comes from the Lord. Happiness is temporary, but joy is eternal. God created us to for HIS glory, not our own. His son Jesus is the ONLY way to have everlasting life. Jesus is the only one who has conquered death and the grave and took the punishment for OUR (mine and yours) sin. Romans 3:23 says that ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The punishment for sin is death. The only way to escape the inevitable is to put your trust in Jesus Christ.

In John 14:1 Jesus says:
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, " I am the way,the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me."

For those of you who read this and do not know Jesus, my prayer is that God uses this to pierce your heart and continues a work in your life to draw you to Him.Also, prayers go out to my coworkers children, family, and close friends. May God grant you a peace that passes all understanding. Amen