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Hugs From My Heart

Are You A "Yes" Woman...

At Christmas, I stumbled upon a devotional at T.J.'s... The Beauty of the Lord. A 365 Devotional Journal.
It's a short, simple one.  With space to write daily.  Plus, it was $7.99!  :)  I also loved the size of it, the feel of it, and although I don't read as much as I would like, I love books.  In the cart it went. 

Of course, my intention was to start on January 1st, and read it each day.

Didn't happen. 

However, I did read it today, and this is what it said...

~ "God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us."  2 Corinthians 1:21 The Message

"Yes" seems like such a good word.  A loving word.  One that overflows from women who are generous in spirit and compassionate in deed.  
 But yes isn't always the best answer.  Just because God has placed a desire in you to care for others, doesn't mean He's asked you to be everyone's answer to prayer.  Your time is limited.  So are your financial, physical, and emotional resources. 
So, before you say yes, give yourself an opportunity to say... no.  Ask for time to think before answering a request.  Then, TALK TO GOD!!!  (my caps, not publishers)  Ask for His guidance.  Don't allow the emotion of the moment or pressure from others to dictate your answer.  If your yes isn't wholehearted, it isn't a true answer to prayer.

(And this next sentence really resonated with me)

Remember, "no" can also be an answer to someone's prayer.  It can give others the opportunity to step up and help.

(What?!!!  The world doesn't need ME to fix everything, and be there for everyone?!!!)

God is the only one you should say yes to right away.  Everyone else can wait until God gives you the green light.  ~

I think, I have been in the process of learning this lesson for years.  No, really. When I say years, I mean like,

5,000!

Well, maybe not that many.  But seriously... to long. 

I think, I'm getting it though.  Recently, I have been spending a lot of time home.

Alone.

Quiet.

It's nice, and I need it.

I've been doing a lot of reading.

I sit at the window and watch the snow falling.

I take photos of the Cardinals in the back yard.

And spend a lot of time just petting this guy.

I'm slowly getting myself off face book.

I got rid of my cell. I just don't think we need to be available to everyone all the time.  It's too much.

At least for me.

I'm still on the road to simplifying my life.  It's almost feels like a craving.  Like I have to do it in order to survive.  To go forward at this point.  This year, I turn 47.  Just numbers.  Not any different for me really.

But what is different is my life.  All our children are grown and out of the house, except one.  Our baby girl.

She won't be with us much longer either.  They grow and go, and she already seems to have one foot out the door.  I need to figure out what my life is, and is going to be, so I don't hold her back, when she is ready to walk out on her own.

And Blue Eyes... well that man is like most wonderful husbands.  He just wants me happy.  Always has. Whatever that is to me, he's all for it.  That man would swim through shark infested waters just to give me a glass of cold lemon-aid.  I'm one blessed girl.

And so I know that whatever changes I make, whatever they need to be... he will be by my side.  Where he has been for years. 

I will sit still and quiet longer, and listen for what God has for me.  Evidently today, it's remembering to say...

"No"

I'm good with it.  ;)

Hugs from my heart

My Life... A Disney Show

I haven't written on my blog for so very long, I've almost forgotten I had one.  If anyone is familiar with Tumblr, (http://livinginhisgratefulness.tumblr.com) that is what has kept me busy as of late. 

So I've been spending time with some "girls" I went to High School with.  We've been crafting, laughing, eating, and laughing some more.  One of them said something to me that got me thinking.

She said, "Lisa, I read your posts on Face Book daily, and it seems like your life is a Disney Show. "

To that, I cringed and said,  "Seriously!!! Your not the first person to say that, and its SOOO not true. Not even a little bit."

When I asked her to explain to me what she meant, she said that it wasn't so much that my life seemed "perfect" but that I am grateful for everything.  And you know what, she's right.  I got to thinking about my life.  What it looks like to others.  Face Book others.  "Friends"  And I thought, if they only knew...

This is some of what my "Disney Show" life, consists of ...

-adultery
-holding hands with my sisters and brothers around our mothers hospital bed, praying... as she passed from this world to the next.
-the death of my oldest brother
-alcoholism
-molestation of a child
-a runaway teen
-no electricity for a summer
-a mother in law who has disowned me
-repossession of a vehicle
-spending the night in my vehicle, in a parking lot
-rebellious, disrespectful teenagers
-fore-closer on our house that Blue Eyes built for me, and our daughter was born in.
-our oldest son going to war
-my first and so far only daughter in law, not talking or wanting anything to do with me. 

And thats just off the top of my head.

I'm not sharing any of this because I want sympathy. Nor do I want to air all of our "dirty laundry".  I know everyone of you reading this could make your own list.  Some, more painful, and longer then mine.  I write this to tell you that I'm no different then any of you.

It's life.

I've lived it.

I'm still living it.

It's not a Disney Show.

I do however have a grateful spirit.  This, is a gift.  Something that was given to me by my parents.  Something they instilled in my siblings and I it seems, with every breath we took. To always know that things could be worse.  Whenever we had a bad attitude and started complaining, my mom would always say,
"Go to your room, close the door, and don't come out until you have a smile on your face!"

(If you scroll back up to the photos above, you'll notice me.  The one with the stupidly huge smile. :) I  had losts of practice growing up.)

 (Remember, my mom is the one with the hot red lips. My dad, in the white shirt holding the cigarette,       hugging my uncle. My six sibs are all present and accounted for. Me, not born yet.)

God has showed his faithfulness every minute, of every hour, of every day.  Not once has He left my side.  Not once has He abandoned me.  He's held me up at times when I thought I couldn't even breathe.

He has brought Blue Eyes and I through things I never would have dreamed we would go through.  Things that I thought were too hard, too hurtful, too long, and just plain stupid.

But God is who He says He is.

God.

The same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  And if you and I are the same, just different lives... then God is there not just for me, but for you.  Yup, you.  All you need to do is call his name.  In the quietness of your heart.  Or screaming it from the roof top.  Where ever you are.

Just you and Him.

Now for another list.  Things I am so grateful for... You knew this was coming didn't you.  :)

-The deep love God has put in mine and Blue Eyes hearts for each other. It has endured and  grown deeper over the 28 years of marriage.

-God has a way of healing the broken hearten.  No matter how deep the wound. 

- God always provides what we need.  Always.

-Our oldest son, is safely home.

-God has it all under control... and I'm so glad because I certainly don't.  ;)

That grateful spirit my mom and dad gave to us... I  can only hope and pray I have given that gift to them. Their grandchildren.  

Because this girl couldn't be more grateful for all God has given her.

Hugs From My Heart

Friday Thoughts...

I'm just thinkin...

It's been a good week.

This post is random.

Kind of a summary of my week.

Straight from my heart/head.

Here goes...

1. I miss my first born son.  Alot.
2. Our "kids" will always be "our kids" no matter how old we get, or they get.
3. I am so in love with Blue Eyes, and He with me... it is intoxicating.  No, really.  
4. Our "kids" are growing up, and out, so fast... it makes my mothers heart stop.  
5. God, is always, yes, always in there. ALWAYS.
6. Blue Eyes and I... we did a good job as parents.  
7. The prayers for our "children" that I have prayed for years and years... God HAS heard, and is honoring. 
8. I miss my mom, and it's good.  She is with me, always.  
9. I have sisters & brothers that love me more than I could have ever thought I could be loved.  I am one blessed girl.
10. God has filled my life with so much love... how grateful a girl am I.  So grateful. So very grateful.

Hugs, Big Girlfriend Hugs, Straight From My Heart...  :)

It's Friday...

The Italians have a saying:

“il dolce far niente.”

Translated, it means, “the sweetness of doing nothing.”

The Italians have mastered this. We need to adopt it into our lives.

Hugs From My Heart

It's Saturday... and I Have Another Awesome Tutorial For You

I don't know if it's getting close to Christmas, (I know I know, we haven't even had Thanksgiving yet.), but I can't stop finding all of these terrific tutorials to share.

Meg, over at Brassy Apple,  has one of the coolest tutorials for a popular item I've seen and wanted to purchase (but didn't because it was way too expensive), at my favorite store, T.J.Maxx. 

The end results are just adorable, and affordable.  What a great Christmas gift.  To myself I mean.  :)

Actually, they are so nice, they really would make nice gifts.  Click on over to Brassy Apple and see for yourself. 

Hugs From My Heart

Friday ... Tutorial

I sure do love me some purdy mercury glass...

Especially around the holidays, there is nothing better.  Anna, over at Take The Side Street has a simple, cost effective tutorial that I am so going to do.

Her results are amazing...

Click on over to her blog,  Take The Side Street, and see for yourself.

Enjoy...

Hugs From My Heart