Life Changes

For all the things that come along in life, we can never be prepared for how we will react when things go in ways that we never expect.

Recently, after hearing about the death of two of my cousins, I was saddened in a way that I have never been before. One cousin, who I had the privilege of growing up with had a spot in my heart that I cannot explain what that was. She was a smoker, had a sailor's mouth and all kinds of flaws that each of us has. But, when it came down to it, she really did have a pretty good heart. She was kind and compassionate to so many people and really didn't care what others though of her. This gave her a personality that was larger than life. I can say that she truly will be missed by me and, I know, all of her immediate friends and family. The timing of her death made me believe that she had simply given up on life, but all things are set in time when it is all said and done.

Although I am still grieving her death, I feel that her life has changed me in many ways. I also am going through some grieving as my oldest is going through some great changes of her own. She just graduated from high school and will be going to college in a couple of weeks. This both excites me and gives me great concern at the same time. I am always hoping that everything I have done/said over the course of her life will have helped to prepare her in some way for the challenges ahead of her.

I ponder each and every thing that she will do and come across in her life as she is now entering a new chapter. I have high hopes that her life will grow as she discovers who she is and what she is about as God fulfills that purpose in her life. I have all of those same hopes and dreams for both my younger children as well.

As a new school year approaches, I am always hopeful that things will improve and all of my children will grow and fulfill their potentials. Life will always be full of the unexpected but, I am hopeful that all things work out just the way God wants them to be as long as we are faithful in our endeavors for him.

I AM

Yesterday, I realized that life is truly not about me....What I mean by that is I learned through our weekly prayer meeting that in the Bible, the most common translation of Jehova from the Hebrew to English is 'God'. We commonly use 'God' in all transaltions. And this is not what we should be using. God, really is 'I AM'......the Provider, the Healer, the Comforter, etc.

This gives an entirely new meaning if we look at the Hebrew word 'Jehova'. We can think of God in all sorts of way, but the truth is that truly, HE IS....EVERYTHING! Everything that we need or want, He is the Only One who exists for all of our needs, wants and desires. And the only thing He ever required of us is our love, attention, affection and relationship.

A Conversation with God

Recently I had the opportunity to read the book "A Conversation with God", by Alton Gansky. I must say that this book, although interesting to look at, came to me with some questions that I had thought of some times in my life. Although the book is informative and I like the fact that it attempts to answer questions that we humans may have all had at one time or another in our lives, I must say that I was rather disappointed in the fact that (for those who have questions and are not believers), there were not direct references to the Bible; the most important piece of information used in this book, directly in the responses used by the 'conversation' answerer (ie: God or the apostles). I was also disappointed that the main opponent in the conversation aluded to in the title, was not always just the only response given. I think that this could be somewhat confusing to someone who is not familiar with the Bible or who has absolutely no background in any religion at all. Overall, the book is a pretty good attempt at trying to give some answers for those of us who have some pretty valid, hard-thought questions about what the Bible says and what we may each have thought about through our lives. I just find that it possibly is not for someone who has no background in Christianity or faith at all because they may not understand who the apostles are or how they might relate to part of the answer to a question that is posed.

Long time

It sure has been a long time since the last posting on here. So much has happened, I can't even begin to know where I have left off. I will simply say that I am just going to start all over again.

Everyone who knows me may think that things are going well with me, and they're right! I am definitely getting into some challenging areas of life with family. This is ok since it is quite natural to have the feelings that I have. Each of us struggles so much every day, but to believe that God can help us through it all is the thing that helps to keep me going and changing into a better person. I will never be finished here until the day that I pass on and leave a legacy to my family.

My children and husband mean the world to me and I don't think I share that enough with them. Each day I strive to love them equally while balancing myself within it all.

Last October I had the wonderful opportunity of a life-time to participate in a prayer assembly. What a great display of God's love and affection for each of us this was! I came back such a different person. For about 2 months afterwards, I think I was under a special anointing. This has since become something that I have not wished that would leave, but unfortunately life has crept back in. Just yesterday, after spending some much needed R&R at our weekly prayer service, I feel refreshed again and ready to take on a number of new things!

I am so grateful that the Holy Spirit can do these things for us just when we need them. I am looking forward to finding a way to Louisville, KY next week and hope that it will have a great impact on me.

So, with all that said. I am on a new adventure and pray that is OK in the long-run of life.

Peace and Love!