Happy Birthday to the Girls!!!

Contentment in the Here and Now

I love this song. It's been playing in my head a lot lately! It's all about that perfect moment of contentedness that we all want to be at. So many of us (me included, see I said us!) fall into the trap of thinking that having that special person in our lives will make everything perfect. Little do we realize.... :) But, listening to the song all the time got me to thinking about the lyrics and about contentedness! We should all strive to be content in the "Here and Now", and not make it reliant on one person or thing. Wow! is that a hard one! It's one I struggle with daily, yes daily! Every morning I wake up to freezing temperatures I wish to be anywhere warmer! So anyways, back to where I was heading with this.... I got to thinking one day, if you just change a few words, capitalize a few pronouns, you have the answer right in front of you! We run all over the place searching for something to fill the void in our lives, relationships, possessions, experiences, money. And all the while God is patiently sitting right in front of us waiting for us to realize that He's what we're looking for! And honestly, looking back, who can say that they wouldn't go right back thru all that pain to get to where you are today? It makes you want to get back to that "first love" too. So enjoy the words, and if you know the song, I hope it is now stuck in your head.... :) he he he!

Philippians 4:11
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

There's a place I've been looking for
That took me in and out of buildings
Behind windows, walls and doors
And I thought I found it
Couple times, even settled down
And I'd hang around just long enough
To find my way back out
I know now the place that I was trying to reach
Was You, right here in front of me

And I wouldn't change a thing
I'd walk right back through the rain
Back to every broken heart
On the day that it was breakin'
And I'd relive all the years
And be thankful for the tears
I've cried with every stumbled step
That led to You and got me here, right here

It's amazing what I let my heart go through
To get me where it got me
In this moment here with You
And it passed me by
God knows how many times
I was so caught up in holding
What I never thought I'd find
I know now, there's a million roads
I had to take
To get me in Your arms today

In a love I never thought I'd get to get to-here
And if that's the road
God made me take to be with Him

Then I wouldn't change a thing
I'd walk right back thru the rain
Back to every broken heart
On the day that it was breakin'
And I'd relive all the years
And be thankful for all the tears
I've cried with every stumbled step
That led to You and got me here, right here

Just a Reminder

Psalm 138:8
"The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth forever: forsake not the works of thine own hands."

So I've been running across this same theme in my Bible reading all week, and it hit me that all of us could use this reminder! God doesn't just care if things in our lives work out okay, He's going to perfect our lives! How cool is that! So all this week when I've been tempted to be discouraged about how things are going in my life, or to worry about how things will work out, God has brought this verse to mind. He's going to perfect the things that concern me! Not just me, but things that affect me as well! So awesome! But then, we have an awesome God, don't we? :)
Enjoy your weekend!
*me* :)

God Answers Prayers! (but we knew that already didn't we?)

Even the small "insignificant" ones that you were almost not going to pray, because "God has better things to do than care about that..." I just love when He does that! :)
So why am I so happy??? I am officially, no way out, no refund, booked, for my vacation with Becci and Andrea in June! I have been looking for plane tickets for about a month, not just any tickets though! We have a very tight schedule between 2 working girls!
We have certain times we have to leave, and it wasn't looking good. I had found the *perfect* ones about 3 weeks ago for about $150, but I have commitment issues when it comes to booking non-refundable plane tickets. I just can't seem to make my finger hit that button... what if there's something better out there? What if the prices drop tomorrow?? I know, I worry too much.... :) But anyhoo, today I was doing my daily check, and for some reason I changed my approach. I searched one-ways instead of round trips, and changed the day we came back, and whaddaya know? I found tickets for $150 when all is said and done, and then, just to make sure I got over the commitment issues, God ('cause it's only Him who could do this) popped in a $12 per ticket discount upon purchase! Leaving me with a price of about $135! I am sooooo excited!
So, I just had to share my crazy answer to prayer, so when you see my grin from however far away you are (or the glow on the horizon from it) you know what it's about!
I promise I'm trying to reform and not count down the days as referenced in a previous post, but it's 122 days 'til departure! :) Ok, ok, I can't help it if the website where I manage the reservations has a countdown! Be thankful that I didn't list the hours, minutes, and seconds! :)

Wake-Up Call

You know every time I start to feel discouraged, or overwhelmed with life, or the dull ache of unfulfilled dreams, God reminds me that I have it really good after all. I have a dry, safe place to live-unlike the people down the street who just had their house burn down. I have a (relatively) healthy family-unlike many of my friends. I have a (hopefully)secure job, for now-unlike many friends and most of my town who have been laid off from jobs that were supposed to be more secure than mine. I have friends who love and pray for me.
I see so many people living out my dreams for my life, and either throwing it all away or hating every minute of it. I just think to myself "can't you see what a treasure you have in front of you?" and it hurts. I tend to fall into a depression of sorts when I'm overwhelmed with being a PK, or having a tough time at a job I never wanted, but God obviously wants me in, or when I hear from my friends who are living their dreams, and just want to share their joy. But every time that I fall into the trap, God shows me just how good I have it! He shows me that some of those friends that I envy have so many struggles themselves. The pain they feel is a million times worse than mine. He lets me see just how rewarding being a PK can be, by sending someone along with an encouraging word. He shows me once again just how perfectly this job I didn't want was an integral part of His plan for my life.
One day I'll have to write my life story for ya'll. I tend to shy away from it under the excuse that most of ya'll know it, but I've seen in reading some of your accounts just how much goes on behind the scenes that we looking on from the outside don't see or understand. Mostly though, I'm scared at what I'm going to have to face. I tend to internalize everything, but when I let it out, it really comes out.... :) So be patient with me.... it will come one day, I promise! In the meantime, pray for me, huh? And whenever you think your life isn't making the impact you would like it to, remember you've made a difference in the life of a Florida girl trapped in New Jersey. Ok, I know, I'm working on the trapped feeling, and striving to feel content where God has placed me during this season of my life! :)
For all of you who have posted your stories-Thanks so much. You'll never know how much God has used your story in my life.

A Serious Addiction

Can you tell I have a problem??? :) Do I even have to mention these all came today in one shipment??? Or the fact that I had three others in my purse??? Or that I know all of the local mail staff by name, and they know me, and know what is in the box or envelope before asking?? I just cling to the fact that there are worse things to be addicted to, and thru the help of an awesome bonus program at work, (which has just been discontinued... grrr) and PaperBackSwap.com, I no longer spend all my money on books! :)

My other addiction.... crocheting! I've been keeping my hands busy while watching TV.... See? Watching TV can be productive! :) I just love when it actually starts to look like a blanket, or whatever I'm making.. :)

Just had to share my happy moments with you! Have a good weekend!

You may be a MK/PK if.....

A Missionary friend of mine sent this to me, and it is so true! I enjoyed it so much! I know many of you might not "get it" on some of them, but it is a good way to get to understand what your PK/MK go thru, and what we deem as funny! :) I know some people I've shown this to think some of these are "just so sad.." makes me laugh even more! :)


You might be a MK/PK if:
- you sort your Christmas mailing list by continents
- you can speak three languages, and can't spell in any of them
- you cruise the Internet looking for fonts that support your "native" language's alphabet.
- you feel you need to move after you've lived in the same place for a month/year...
- you have a name in at least two different languages, and it's not the same one.
- you don't think that two hours is a long sermon.
- you haggle with the checkout girl for a lower price.
- you refer to gravel roads as highways.
- fitting 15 or more people into a car seems normal to you.
- you know how to pack. (really pack... like fitting all your earthly possessions in 1 bag that weighs under 50 lbs)
- you realize that furlough is not a vacation.
- you do your devotions in another language.
- you have friends from or in 29 different countries.
- you speak with authority on the subject of airline travel.
- you can cut grass with a machete, but can't start a lawnmower.
- you watch nature documentaries, and think about how good that animal would taste if it were fried. ROFL!!!
- you consider a city 500 km away to be "very close".
- you have a time zone map next to your telephone.
- you read National Geographic and recognize someone.
- you can't answer the question, "Where are you from?" in less than 20 minutes. Hahaha
- the family gathers round the computer to check the email.
- you forget that your grandparents speak only English.
- you have a passport but no driver's license.
- you watch National Geographic channel and recognize someone.
- you keep dreaming of a green Christmas.
- you wince when people mispronounce foreign words.
- you have strong opinions on how to cook bugs.
- you know there is no such thing as an international language.
- most of your friends can't speak English.
- you watch a movie set in a foreign country, and you know what the local people are REALLY saying!
- you think nothing of straddling white lines to pass between buses or trucks travelling side by side, because There was plenty of room, Officer! Honest! At least 15 centimetres clearance!
- the message on your answering machine is in two languages.
- you habitually buy food supplies in bulk.
- you are cold when it is 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
- you always have music handy because someone will have you sing a special. (even when you can't sing!)
- you've perfected the "genuine" Barbie smile!
- you know they lie when they say it takes less muscles to smile than not to smile.
- you've taught every Sunday School age group by the age of 16.
- you've memorized the major fast food's menus. Prices too!
- you consider someone who you've only met 3 times your best friend. :)