Yup, it reads right.....after all these years that Troy and I have been together we are finally taking a vacation. We are going away for a couple of days with the kids and some of our church family to a revival near the mountains. I'm so excited I could burst!! We've never had a vacation of any kind, not for a weekend or even just an overnight. The only trips we have taken were when I was working I had to travel alot for training seminars or conferences and then Troy and the kids would go with me and we would drive around a bit after I got off work......that is SO NOT A VACATION!! It has been all I can do all week long to keep the kids from packing everything they own that isn't on their bodies....they seem to think that part of vacation is packing EVERYTHING. We are leaving tomorrow as soon as Troy gets home and we'll be back sometime on Saturday.
In other news.....Troy got a new job!!! That is just such wonderful news to us .....you just can't even imagine. The job that he has now was an okay job, but it has absolutely no possibility of a future for him....it will never get any better than it is right now. Being a man who takes his responsibility to his family very seriously means (to Troy) that he has to have something that has some kind of future to it and gives him the ability to meet our needs through his job.....this job just doesn't do that. Troy is really excited about his new job and seems excited about the new company too.
And more news.....Saturday is mine and Troy's 15th anniversary! Granted, we've only been legally married for 8 years, but to us who formerly lived life in and for the flesh 15 years is far more than what we could ever have hoped for. I think I wrote about how we got together way back in December but those of you back home knew us before we found each other and you know how incredible it is that we are so happy and still together and living for Jesus. I couldn't be happier and I couldn't ask for more than I've got right now......I don't deserve what I have but I'm sure thankful to have it all!!
Well, that's it I have to go now.....Caleb is trying to pack Jared's stuff and Taeler is having a skirt crisis of some sort. I love being a mommy!
Showing posts with label Special day to me. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Special day to me. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
OH LORD YOU'VE BEEN SO GOOD!!!
Oh my!! There is just so much to catch up on that I have no real idea where to start. I have been shouting all over the place since about 4:30 this afternoon and I have no idea when I'll stop. We are moving!!!!! The Lord has blessed us so much more than I even knew to ask Him to and it came as a huge surprise to me today but we have found a wonderful new home to move to and we get to move in less than 2 weeks!!!!
We have lived out here for nearly a year now and the entire time (except for the first 10 days) we have been living in a not so nice mobile home park with some very untrustworthy neighbors. The Lord has blessed us and protected us the whole time we've been here there were very few really bad issues and only once was there anything really horrible to fuss over or complain about but we really haven't been too happy here and have felt horribly confined. The kids haven't even really been able to play outside since there is quite a bit of drug related activity going on most of the time and several violent episodes have taken place just yards from my front door. We really didn't think we could afford to move though so we just tried to make the best of a bad situation and stay in prayer that the Lord would provide us with a way to get a better place to live.
Before we moved out here we nearly always (except for an excruciating year in Oklahoma City) lived in the country and had mostly four legged neighbors with a very limited vocabulary....think MOOOO. The culture shock of moving from that kind of environment to the place we live in now was enough to shake me up quite a bit. When you add to that the fact that rent is quite a bit higher here than what we were used to seeing and the income isn't it almost felt hopeless a few times, but we knew that the Lord would provide and He sure did!
The kids and I were driving around today looking at places to rent and getting more discouraged by the minute after seeing what was available in our price range. We put over a hundred miles on the Jeep today and burned more gas than what I wanted to but oh well, it was a pretty day to be outside so I just kept on driving. I ended up driving down a road that I had driven past several times already and then I saw it!! The perfect house for us right now. My heart beat probably tripled as soon as I saw it but I managed to stop the Jeep before jumping out and running to write down the number on the 'for rent' sign in the yard. When I got out of the Jeep all I could hear was the singing of frogs....no thumping stereos, no screaming neighbors, no car engines revving, no doors slamming, nothing but frogs. I just wanted to stand right there and listen to the frogs sing and not even go back to this tiny little trailer house with all the racket and neighbor noise.....but I did. I got in the Jeep and prayed all the way home, asking the Lord to please just give me a certain answer on that house today and that if it wasn't His will for us to have it that he would just give me peace that there was a better place waiting for us.....I also prayed that it be a very specific price and have several very specific features and that the Landlord would love dogs.
The challenge then was to work up the courage to actually call and talk to the landlord of this wonderful new utopia and see if there was any way at all that we could possibly ever afford to live in such peace and quiet. First I had to call a friend that I had seen earlier in my travels and make sure that my eyes weren't deceiving me and that it truly had been her I had seen out travelling in the wilds of the wooded road ways too......it was in fact my friend and as it happens her wonderful new home was provided today too!!! After frantically and quite loudly explaining to her what I was doing running round the countryside instead of hiding in my tiny home working on school with the kids I also explained that I was now beside myself with fear over calling the owner of the home I found. I was so afraid that there was no way we could afford the home or that the owner wouldn't allow pets that I was ready to resign myself to staying here rather than deal with the dissapointment of hearing someone else say that to me on the phone. My sweet friend rather sternly says...." NO, you can't have the house.....there now you've practiced so CALL already".....and I did.
When I first called the landlady definitely did NOT give me that price and as I was getting ready to thank her for her time and get off of the phone to go have a good cry over the perfect home being lost to me she says..."well, I don't owe a dime on that house and I may consider lowering the rent for the right family" and then launches into a really detailed conversation about the house during which she dropped the rent $50 a month. The landlady went on to describe every single one of the features that I had prayed for and THEN she asked me if I had pets......I took in a very long deep breath and quietly described my two dogs and indoor kitty. The lady on the phone just chuckled and went on to tell me all about her dog who she loves very much and would never consider denying a renter , especially one with children, the privledge of such a wonderful friend. Well, that was all sweet and wonderful and laa teee da, but I really didn't think my hubby would be too happy if I killed his budget on this house either so again I was trying to get off the phone and the landlady said something about it being family property and that her dad had built that house when she was young. For some reason that made me pause and blurt out "so you wouldn't consider selling it any time soon either?" I really didn't want to consider moving only to turn around and move again next year and when I told her that she said "hon, if you want that house after you take your husband to see it I'll let you rent it for ___) " She dropped the rent another $100, a total of $150 a month less than what she originally wanted for rent. THE EXACT AMOUNT I HAD ASKED THE LORD FOR IT TO BE!!!!!!
So how could I say no to the perfect house with everything we wanted for exactly what we can afford? I didn't and that's why we are moving in on the 3rd of March. AIN'T GOD GOOD!!
We have lived out here for nearly a year now and the entire time (except for the first 10 days) we have been living in a not so nice mobile home park with some very untrustworthy neighbors. The Lord has blessed us and protected us the whole time we've been here there were very few really bad issues and only once was there anything really horrible to fuss over or complain about but we really haven't been too happy here and have felt horribly confined. The kids haven't even really been able to play outside since there is quite a bit of drug related activity going on most of the time and several violent episodes have taken place just yards from my front door. We really didn't think we could afford to move though so we just tried to make the best of a bad situation and stay in prayer that the Lord would provide us with a way to get a better place to live.
Before we moved out here we nearly always (except for an excruciating year in Oklahoma City) lived in the country and had mostly four legged neighbors with a very limited vocabulary....think MOOOO. The culture shock of moving from that kind of environment to the place we live in now was enough to shake me up quite a bit. When you add to that the fact that rent is quite a bit higher here than what we were used to seeing and the income isn't it almost felt hopeless a few times, but we knew that the Lord would provide and He sure did!
The kids and I were driving around today looking at places to rent and getting more discouraged by the minute after seeing what was available in our price range. We put over a hundred miles on the Jeep today and burned more gas than what I wanted to but oh well, it was a pretty day to be outside so I just kept on driving. I ended up driving down a road that I had driven past several times already and then I saw it!! The perfect house for us right now. My heart beat probably tripled as soon as I saw it but I managed to stop the Jeep before jumping out and running to write down the number on the 'for rent' sign in the yard. When I got out of the Jeep all I could hear was the singing of frogs....no thumping stereos, no screaming neighbors, no car engines revving, no doors slamming, nothing but frogs. I just wanted to stand right there and listen to the frogs sing and not even go back to this tiny little trailer house with all the racket and neighbor noise.....but I did. I got in the Jeep and prayed all the way home, asking the Lord to please just give me a certain answer on that house today and that if it wasn't His will for us to have it that he would just give me peace that there was a better place waiting for us.....I also prayed that it be a very specific price and have several very specific features and that the Landlord would love dogs.
The challenge then was to work up the courage to actually call and talk to the landlord of this wonderful new utopia and see if there was any way at all that we could possibly ever afford to live in such peace and quiet. First I had to call a friend that I had seen earlier in my travels and make sure that my eyes weren't deceiving me and that it truly had been her I had seen out travelling in the wilds of the wooded road ways too......it was in fact my friend and as it happens her wonderful new home was provided today too!!! After frantically and quite loudly explaining to her what I was doing running round the countryside instead of hiding in my tiny home working on school with the kids I also explained that I was now beside myself with fear over calling the owner of the home I found. I was so afraid that there was no way we could afford the home or that the owner wouldn't allow pets that I was ready to resign myself to staying here rather than deal with the dissapointment of hearing someone else say that to me on the phone. My sweet friend rather sternly says...." NO, you can't have the house.....there now you've practiced so CALL already".....and I did.
When I first called the landlady definitely did NOT give me that price and as I was getting ready to thank her for her time and get off of the phone to go have a good cry over the perfect home being lost to me she says..."well, I don't owe a dime on that house and I may consider lowering the rent for the right family" and then launches into a really detailed conversation about the house during which she dropped the rent $50 a month. The landlady went on to describe every single one of the features that I had prayed for and THEN she asked me if I had pets......I took in a very long deep breath and quietly described my two dogs and indoor kitty. The lady on the phone just chuckled and went on to tell me all about her dog who she loves very much and would never consider denying a renter , especially one with children, the privledge of such a wonderful friend. Well, that was all sweet and wonderful and laa teee da, but I really didn't think my hubby would be too happy if I killed his budget on this house either so again I was trying to get off the phone and the landlady said something about it being family property and that her dad had built that house when she was young. For some reason that made me pause and blurt out "so you wouldn't consider selling it any time soon either?" I really didn't want to consider moving only to turn around and move again next year and when I told her that she said "hon, if you want that house after you take your husband to see it I'll let you rent it for ___) " She dropped the rent another $100, a total of $150 a month less than what she originally wanted for rent. THE EXACT AMOUNT I HAD ASKED THE LORD FOR IT TO BE!!!!!!
So how could I say no to the perfect house with everything we wanted for exactly what we can afford? I didn't and that's why we are moving in on the 3rd of March. AIN'T GOD GOOD!!
Friday, December 09, 2005
Did I mention that I'm a terrible insomniac?
Oh but yes!! I sit up til all hours writing to pass the time. Usually it's just silly little notes to myself but since I have only shared the address to this blog, or the fact that I have a new one with very few trusted people I thought I would take the time tonight to type away here. You see, it's like this at my house.....I can't sleep, but if I actually turn on lights or make ANY noise like to clean something or run water or watch a video or listen to a tape the whole house will be awake in no time. SO I pass the time when I can't sleep by reading (already done that) or writing (doing that now). Since it's about 2am and I've been at a steady run since a little before 8am yesterday and have run like this all week forgive me if I am rambly or I stutter or get a bit repetitive.
I think I mentioned in an earlier post that we have been having a revival at our church. Wow!! If I was only allowed three letters those would be it! Tonight was awesome and the Lord has really impressed some things on me that I know will continue to take shape in my day to day life over the next few weeks. It was so incredible just to be there tonight and not only bask in the presence of the Spirit myself but to see my kids getting in on it too. (There will have to be some backpaddlin for me to catch some of you folks up with all that has gone on since I talked with ya last). My middle son was called to preach this past May, bless his heart he really is doing his best to be obedient to the Lord but until tonight I don't think he really knew how hard he was fighting the Spirit's urging in his life. You could literally see him sitting in that pew with his fists balled up in the fold of his bible and holding his head just as straight and stiff as he could trying very hard to look like he was listening to any old every day sermon in a very boring church....you could also look at him and tell how much WORK it was for him to keep on going that way. I caught myself making eye contact with my husband (who was in the sound booth) so that the two of us could do that wonderful 'only you and me know what is going on right now' kind of silent praying that I'm sure most blood bought parents do for their children all the time. I don't think either one of us even took a breath while we watched God get hold of that son of ours! And I know for sure that neither one of us could see through the tears when we saw that boy finally just give in and surrender to the Lord with his whole heart......he literally burst up out of his seat both hands in the air shouting hallelujah to the Lord! I love it when you can visibly see what God is doing with folks sometimes, especially when it is an answer to prayer like this was. The preaching was definitely right on target for Jared and I would imagine that it was for most of the other preachers that were there too.
The preaching tonight wasn't only for the preachers though (yes I am referring to PreacherS....we happen to be blessed with 6 in our own congregation and had several guest preachers tonight too). Tonight the preaching really hit me in the heart of some things I have been struggling with off and on for nearly a year now, some really painful things that I've been trying to get a grip on....I think I am finally getting there but it is only with God's help, His mercy and His grace.
I was lying awake in my bed a little while ago, trying to at least pretend that I could fall asleep. I was listening to my husband snore really softly like he does when he's having a really peaceful dream and the rain. Not hard rain, just little bits here and there in a sort of steady off beat pattern hitting the roof when all of a sudden I was remembering very clearly the same rain sounds a little over 14 years ago. Troy and I had been friends for a few years but had gotten very close over that summer. We were both just two VERY lost, young and lonely people who had both been very hurt by people that we thought loved us and that we thought we loved.
He was in college and I was into whatever passed by and kept me occupied for the time being. We never really dated, and I never even considered it.....I thought of Troy as a good friend and someone fun to hang around with. We had spent the better part of six months hanging out together with mutual friends every chance we got... some people teased us about whether or not we should become a couple but we both denied the possibility at every turn. We did end up spending increasing amounts of time together alone though....most of it running around all day and most of the night on his crazy purple motorcycle. He had a house in the town he was going to school in and I had a house closer to the town he was from and had friends in...about an hour apart. We ended up deciding to consolidate the two houses, there were lots of 'good' reasons why, I think some of them were due to (ah..umm) legal issues, and some of them were because we really liked being together. We ended up moving into my house together, Troy scared off my big bad ugly mean nasty house mate (that's a very long story, but really funny)and we ended up outside watching the stars .....(snip)..... we woke up in a very soft steady but off beat rain scared silly to admit that we were really in love with each other so we just talked about the rain.
A lot of time has passed since that night together in the rain. We've both been saved by the Grace of God since then and looking back on that night and so many others since then I know that neither one of us is even a shadow of the same people we were back then. God's mercy is so evident in our lives now and people who thought they knew us well don't even know what to say to us anymore. I won't say that we haven't had some really hard times....there have been some that we are still healing from, but God is good and I firmly believe that he has plans to give back every tear I've cried only it will be turned into a beautiful gift that only He could provide! The fact that we are still together now and happier with each other than we have ever been since that first night in the rain is nothing short of a miracle............but maybe that is a story for another night.
I think I mentioned in an earlier post that we have been having a revival at our church. Wow!! If I was only allowed three letters those would be it! Tonight was awesome and the Lord has really impressed some things on me that I know will continue to take shape in my day to day life over the next few weeks. It was so incredible just to be there tonight and not only bask in the presence of the Spirit myself but to see my kids getting in on it too. (There will have to be some backpaddlin for me to catch some of you folks up with all that has gone on since I talked with ya last). My middle son was called to preach this past May, bless his heart he really is doing his best to be obedient to the Lord but until tonight I don't think he really knew how hard he was fighting the Spirit's urging in his life. You could literally see him sitting in that pew with his fists balled up in the fold of his bible and holding his head just as straight and stiff as he could trying very hard to look like he was listening to any old every day sermon in a very boring church....you could also look at him and tell how much WORK it was for him to keep on going that way. I caught myself making eye contact with my husband (who was in the sound booth) so that the two of us could do that wonderful 'only you and me know what is going on right now' kind of silent praying that I'm sure most blood bought parents do for their children all the time. I don't think either one of us even took a breath while we watched God get hold of that son of ours! And I know for sure that neither one of us could see through the tears when we saw that boy finally just give in and surrender to the Lord with his whole heart......he literally burst up out of his seat both hands in the air shouting hallelujah to the Lord! I love it when you can visibly see what God is doing with folks sometimes, especially when it is an answer to prayer like this was. The preaching was definitely right on target for Jared and I would imagine that it was for most of the other preachers that were there too.
The preaching tonight wasn't only for the preachers though (yes I am referring to PreacherS....we happen to be blessed with 6 in our own congregation and had several guest preachers tonight too). Tonight the preaching really hit me in the heart of some things I have been struggling with off and on for nearly a year now, some really painful things that I've been trying to get a grip on....I think I am finally getting there but it is only with God's help, His mercy and His grace.
I was lying awake in my bed a little while ago, trying to at least pretend that I could fall asleep. I was listening to my husband snore really softly like he does when he's having a really peaceful dream and the rain. Not hard rain, just little bits here and there in a sort of steady off beat pattern hitting the roof when all of a sudden I was remembering very clearly the same rain sounds a little over 14 years ago. Troy and I had been friends for a few years but had gotten very close over that summer. We were both just two VERY lost, young and lonely people who had both been very hurt by people that we thought loved us and that we thought we loved.
He was in college and I was into whatever passed by and kept me occupied for the time being. We never really dated, and I never even considered it.....I thought of Troy as a good friend and someone fun to hang around with. We had spent the better part of six months hanging out together with mutual friends every chance we got... some people teased us about whether or not we should become a couple but we both denied the possibility at every turn. We did end up spending increasing amounts of time together alone though....most of it running around all day and most of the night on his crazy purple motorcycle. He had a house in the town he was going to school in and I had a house closer to the town he was from and had friends in...about an hour apart. We ended up deciding to consolidate the two houses, there were lots of 'good' reasons why, I think some of them were due to (ah..umm) legal issues, and some of them were because we really liked being together. We ended up moving into my house together, Troy scared off my big bad ugly mean nasty house mate (that's a very long story, but really funny)and we ended up outside watching the stars .....(snip)..... we woke up in a very soft steady but off beat rain scared silly to admit that we were really in love with each other so we just talked about the rain.
A lot of time has passed since that night together in the rain. We've both been saved by the Grace of God since then and looking back on that night and so many others since then I know that neither one of us is even a shadow of the same people we were back then. God's mercy is so evident in our lives now and people who thought they knew us well don't even know what to say to us anymore. I won't say that we haven't had some really hard times....there have been some that we are still healing from, but God is good and I firmly believe that he has plans to give back every tear I've cried only it will be turned into a beautiful gift that only He could provide! The fact that we are still together now and happier with each other than we have ever been since that first night in the rain is nothing short of a miracle............but maybe that is a story for another night.
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