Happy Birthday, Chrissie

Wow, baby girl. I have now had you 1/2 of my life, that's just unbelieveable. You have definitely been one of the best things in my life these past 22 years. God took one of His biggest risks when He placed someone as precious as you into my arms 22 years ago but know this...I have not stopped thanking Him. I never felt more unworthy and yet more grateful than when He blessed me and your Dad with you. You have grown up well, baby. It has been a blast watching you grow from that strong-willed little girl into this (still strong-willed) beautiful young lady who loves Jesus and has dedicated her life to serving Him and living for Him. My prayer has always been for you to grow in His wisdom and His knowledge, that you would grow in favor with Him and those in your path, and that you would do great and mighty things for His glory. He has blessed you beyond measure, never forget that we owe it all to Him. I never thought even God could love you more than me but I know He does, just keep loving Him back.

I get more joy from you than you can imagine. You're still my daughter but I consider you a true friend. Happy 22nd birthday to my favorite 22 year old in the whole world. You are making me old with all of these birthdays but I wouldn't have it any other way. I love you so.

Back up and running

Ok, my computer has been giving me fits so had to get it fixed. Yikes, I always swore I would not be computer friendly and now it drives me nuts to be without it for just a few days.
Well since I missed being able to give my monday morning perspective, I will just say it was amazing...loved it loved it. Great sermon for all of us as we celebrate our country and patriotism. Speaking of patriotism let me just say we should all be praying for our first family of SC. It's heart-breaking and nerve-wracking all at the same time. I have to say I have much respect for Jenny Sanford and the way she is conducting herself and at this point controlling her tongue. I really don't know that I would be so kind. I think most of us would be lashing out and tearing him apart but she is protecting her family and being very gracious. We all know that Satan is out to destroy the family but I think at the same time God is at work tearing down our facades and stripping us of our fakeness. Let's pray God gets much glory from this.
We did get to enjoy a few days in Charleston with some friends who welcomed us to spend a few of their vacation days with them, so very thankful. It's always good to get away and I must say for me there's no time I feel closer to God than at the beach. It's just always been my very favorite place. I told them while we were there that we had taken our children to a beach long before they could even walk because they HAD to like it since Eddie and I are so crazy about it. It's the family favorite for vacation. We will be gettting a week there later this summer and I can't wait.
It's been such a busy summer, can hardly believe it's July. I have to say it's my favorite time of the year. I love the heat ( the hotter the better), my kids out of school (although they don't spend as much of their day with me as they used to), vacations, baseball games (and there have been lots of those), a more relaxed schedule (definitely not a relaxed pace). I just love all of it.
I am so excited about what God is doing in our church and what He's going to do. He has been working in some lives lately and I'm so thankful for the stories I've been priviledged to hear. Some of our faithful are hurting and we need to pray daily for them and watch God work. Let's never forget that He is always busy at work even when we don't know exactly what He's doing. He's never absent. Praise Him for that.
Ok, back to the fam. It was good getting on this keyboard again. Have a blessed evening.

Something to rant about

Warning...may contain much sarcasm and appear to be the voice of a very aggravated person yet with at least some justified anger.

Don't you just love having to deal with people who have a god-like syndrome when it comes to how they view themselves? The occassional person you run into at the checkout counter or in the restaurant is one thing, but when that person is closely intertwined in much of your life and the lives of your children it rises to another level, that level that makes you want to put your hands on someone or at least give them a good tongue lashing letting them know they're not quite as important as they think they are. It's someone who thinks that they can control your life and what comes into play for you. Those are the people who don't realize and think on the level of fellow Christians who know that nothing comes to pass in our lives without passing by His throne. He alone is the one who puts us where we are to be, brings people and things and circumstances in our lives that are to be there. These self-ordained God wannabes think they really do have power over you and they use it to try and influence your choices and decisions and God forbid if it's not the choice they want you to make, especially if your choice means choosing a God thing over their thing.

One problem with these people is they don't have a good sense of reality. They don't see things the way most do. Their view seems skewed and they tend to sense things that are way off base.

Another problem with them is they tend to think all the good goes to their credit and the bad is because of others. They don't have a proper view of themselves or the situation.

I wish I could say that I've risen past this kind of thing bothering me, but that would be a lie. Sure some days it just seems to roll off my back and then there are days like today when you've just had enough of self-righteous, self-important people that just seem miserable and intent on making others miserable and if they can't, woe be unto us all. I have learned however that God really does make all things right for those who belong to Him. I also know that every person, whether Christian or not is in our life for a purpose. He works things out for our good and I've seen the revenge He's taken before which definitely makes me not want to be on that side of things. I know that He is the God of yesterday, today, and forever and that nothing is said or done or thought that He doesn't know about and He WILL make it all right in His time. Now His time is something I struggle with as well. I want it to happen today and I want to be there when it comes down but then I remember how grateful I am in my own life for His mercy and grace and love and compassion and forgiveness. I have to admit that I still pray that they choke on their supper so maybe they'll call out to the ONE TRUE God and realize it's not them. Actually I pray a lot for their salvation as well because I can't imagine a truly saved person being so mean and hateful and self-absorbed and with so little joy in their life. God keep me from becoming that very kind of person that I can't stand the most. Use all the stuff, even the stuff Satan tries to use to get the best of us and make us bitter, to make us more like You. Help us to forgive and not to hold on to the words that some say intended to harm us or hurt us and instead give those words over to You and allow You to heal us and convict others. Help us not to get in the flesh and actually smack someone and again and again I ask that You keep a muzzle over our mouth so that we don't act like those that make us so mad. Help us to turn the other cheek knowing that it makes you even madder than it does us. Guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and protect above all my children, Your children, from the evil and evil ones who try to have influence over them.