In silence

(Feb 24th) I sat in silence praying to Him and then waiting.

Leave expectations behind
Lean on me to fulfill your need for happiness


Keep silent
listen and wait

Psalm 16:5-11

Lord, You are my portion
and my cup of blessing,
You hold my future.

The boundary lines have fallen
for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I will praise the Lord
who counsels me
even at night my conscience
instructs me.

I keep the Lord in mind always.
Because He is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad,
and my spirit rejoices;
my body also rests securely.

For you will not abandon me 
to Sheol; You will not allow
Your Faithful One to see the Pit.

You reveal the path of life to me;
in Your presence is abundant joy;
in Your right hand are 
eternal pleasures.

He Guides

The next day (Feb. 22) I sat in silence for several moments.  I prayed and then I sat and listened.

Lean on me
I will give you strength, trust me
wait
enjoy your children

Then I was lead to read Psalm 28:7-8

The Lord is my strength
and my shield;
my heart trusts in Him,
and I am helped.
Therefore my heart rejoices,
and I praise Him with my song.
The Lord is the strength of
His people, He is the 
stronghold of salvation for
His anointed.

Be Still & Listen

Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track.  (Prov. 3:6)

Last week I focused on being still and listening.  I'm learning how to wait on the Lord's guidance to know what to do next and in what direction regarding my family.  I asked him to reveal to me the insight, knowledge of what I needed for my day.

I cried out to the Lord that I can't do it!  I can't make the changes needed in my family.  I can't make the changes in the relationships that are so close to me everyday.  I can't change the hearts of my loved ones with the little things that I do.

I have wanted so many good things for my family and the people that I care about and love.  But my good intentions have back fired once again.  They have turned into an idol.  An idol so big that it consumed me for a while and fell into a deep hole.  Good things can turn into bad things.

There is only one way to "fix" it.  There is only one shoulder to lean on.  There is only one voice to listen to.  There is only one that can change a persons heart.  Only one to make long lasting changes in relationships/families that will bring glory to Him.

My Lord and Savior can do all those things.  It is His way.

He has asked me to step aside so that there is room for him to work.

He has asked me to wait.

He has told me he will give me strength.

He has encouraged me to lean on him.

He told me to enjoy every day with my children.

I will obey.

I will wait

I will be still

I will listen.

(this post was actually written on Feb. 21st)

Kyle's 12th B-day

Yes, it is a jar of pickles.  Yes, I did give Kyle a jar of pickles for his birthday.  I was at the grocery store the other day shopping.  I went up and down each aisle looking and picking what I needed.  I stopped and looked at the pickles.  I knew we had some regular pickles so I didn't need to get any but then I remembered that Kyle has been asking off and on for along time for sweet pickles.  He is the only that eats them so it was always hard for me to buy them when I know we needed other things.  So I smiled to myself and laughed a little and grabbed a jar of sweet pickles and put it in the basket.  Its silly that it took his birthday for me to get him some of the pickles that he loves....oh well the things we do for the ones that we love.

I placed a jar of bread and butter pickles in a birthday gift bag along with some candy and an Arizona Sweet Tea.  I woke him up and presented him with the bag.  He smiled and said I was weird and then shortly after he opened them up and ate a few before he went to school.

Something was going on at school so Kyle got out of school early at 11:30. He played football at the park with his friends.

His good buddy Connor came over and they played video games.

Then I took Kyle, his friend and the girls to the new Sportstop over by the FAC East.  It is a very neat place but it cost for everything that you want to do.  For Kyle's birthday Karlee paid for him and his friend out of her babysitting money for them to have some time at the batting cages.

Then we went to pick up his dad, then went home, threw in the pizzas from Papa Murphys.  We ate pizza, had cake and ice cream.  There was laughter and smiles, it was a nice little celebration.

 Kyle decides to lean in on his dad and wants me to take a picture.  I hurried and got the camera in hand, he never wants to take pictures.  But as you can see Kyle was ready but his dad was not.  He was trying to eat and the timing was off every time.....

Kyle & his Dad

We ended the evening with watching a movie.  I think Kyle had a good day on his birthday.  I am so very blessed to have him for my son.  I love his so much!

Learning time and Growing time

I know I've shared with you at least two weekend that expressed great discouragement.  But during those times and now as I sit here stronger I'm learning and growing.  I will share more in a few days.  I wanted to really say that once again it is so amazing to experience what God has in store for you when you reach out to him and lean on his strength and power.

In between all this time life goes on and you have to be apart of it.  The kids have been busy with friends.  The kids are super excited about softball and baseball coming up.  Kyle turns twelve tomorrow. Then its Friday and then the weekend again....

A Place to Breakdown. A Place to Find Hope

Sunday morning I found myself going from waking up in a good mood ready to start the day to tears rolling down my face.  My husband and I had a exchanged a few damaging words to each other.  Shortly after when he announces that he wasn't going to church.  The kids and I get in the van to go to church.  On the way I fought back tears and tried to dry my face and gather myself so that I could function and sit in church like nothing was wrong.

We get there and the kids go their separate ways.  My ex-husband took one look at me and knew instantly that I wasn't having a good morning.  I immediately left the area and went to find a friend.  I walked quickly to her and asked for a hug and then I lost it.  I broke down and cried.

I went to the bathroom to re-gather myself again.  I went to sit down in church but I couldn't sit there too long before I had the need to go find my daughter who had spent the night with the youth group girls.  I went to find her, I really wanted to hug her.  I went in to find her but she wasn't there yet.  The youth leader was there and asked me how was things going.  Well that's all it took.  I was open and honest and we spoke for a few minutes then the room started to fill up and I slipped out.

As I was headed back into the church building, the church secretary caught me and pulled me in to her office and closed the door.  She held on to me tight and prayed for me.  She left me to have some quite time.

The door opened another friend of mine came in and began to talk with me.  By the end of our conversation I was calm and at peace.  I was feeling strong again and encouraged.  I walked into church to sit down to listen to the sermon.

After church there was youth group meeting that I needed to attend and listen to all the details about the upcoming spring break mission trip.  At the end we had the opportunity to pray if we wanted to.  I don't find myself doing it very often out loud but I prayed.

We hadn't been home very long when I received a phone call.  It was from the youth leader.  He told me that he had an anonymous person that came to him and wanted to offer financial support to allow a youth to go on the trip.   He told me that he thought of my daughter Karlee and wondered what I thought.  I was super excited.  He said he would get back with me later to confirm to what extend this person was offering to help.

My phone "ding donged" with a text message and it was to say that someone would cover the whole amount needed and Karlee would be able to go.  I jumped up and down and told Karlee and shouted thank you God.  I texted back and said thank you and to express how thankful we are to the person and what a blessing it was to us.

I couldn't help but take a moment and reflect on how my Sunday had gone.  Broken and discouraged, to filled with hope and strength to prayers being answered.  What a "God" day.  Wow

Fun Afternoon

Saturday everyone was scattered doing various activities.  By mid-afternoon it was just me and my girls.  We had dropped off my son Kyle and his dad at the movies.  Dillon and Micah were in Cameron riding their dirt bikes.  The girls and I decided to go window shopping and treat ourselves to some frozen yogurt.  We were trying to kill time while Kyle was at the theater instead of going home.  We didn't feel like being at home.

Karlee said that we should go for yogurt at the place where she had gone with youth group during a girl talk evening.  So we headed to Yogurt U.

I'm not really sure how much yogurt is under all that candy but Sara enjoyed it and I loved watching her enjoy her treat.

Earlier into the day Karlee and I were at Marshals and we took a few moments to be silly.

I love my girls.  They bring such joy to my life.

I have hope and I'm walking forward

This week has been like a resting time for me.  In the sense that I've been overloaded with things...in a good way like with all that I've learned from the books I've read lately.  All that I've gathered from my quiet time with God.  Its been a time of rest to start processing it all.  I find myself so tired today on all levels.  I don't want to read.  I want to think.  I don't want to do.  I really don't know what to write about either.  Its like I'm empty.   But I'm not empty.  I'm full of hope...of life with God and with that, it makes me strong too.  I think I'm just suppose to rest and process.  Take the time to let God work in my heart and mind.  So with a deep "sigh" that is what I'm going to do.  I hope everyone enjoys their weekend.  I will write again to share how God has been working in me.

Peaceful Sigh

Have you ever had so much going on or some many things build up or read 2 or 3 books at a time and felt engulfed with all that you learned or experienced that you just want to collapse from mental, emotional and physical exhaustion?

Then when you do finally rest you just sit there and zoning out and sighing peacefully to yourself....

This past weekend I was so discouraged and at an emotional low point.  There was a little bump in my path that sort of set off several other bumps to come up, which made traveling down that path very bumpy and feeling like its just not going to end.

I sat in my van in the park crying uncontrollably for a few minutes.  Then after several thoughts that would enter my mind then leave again I shouted these words "I can't do this!"  The moment those words left my mouth I stopped crying and a peaceful sigh escaped me.  I took a few minutes to gather my thoughts and wipe my tear stained face and went home.

I went home feeling really heavy.  I didn't know what to say or do with myself.  My husband held me in his arms for a few minutes while I found a few more tears to unleash again.  Then as the day went on there were little rays of hope that were trying to push through my clouds that were around me.  The right song on the radio came on.....the right bible verse to read....the right daily emailed devotional....the right paragraph to read in my bible study book....you name it, it was meant for me to read or hear.

God was there.  He had me in his hands.  I became filled with hope again and ready to keep walking forward with Him.

My True Love

He is the lover of my soul

He is my one true love

He loves me as I am

The Lord is my Valentine

Here is a song that I found that I think really is perfect for such a day as Valentines Day!

Lord, keep my heart always true

Lord, keep my heart always true to You,
Never backsliding, always viewing You,
A heart that is pure that sees only You,
A heart that loves You and treasures only You.

Chorus

Your love constrains me to give my all to You.
Lord, I can't help it; my heart is drawn to You.
Oh what a privilege! I give myself to You!
I love You, Lord, dearest Lord.
I love You! I just love You!

Lord, keep my love burning brightly for You,
A love never dwindling always hot for You,
A love, shining brighter all the way for You,
A love, so fresh like the day I first touched You.

Lord, take my life, I present it to You!
If I had a thousand, I'd pour all on You!
Nothing withholding, my all is for You.
My life and my future, dear Lord, is all for You.

What the Bible says about Prayer

John 17:9

I pray for them.

I am not praying for the world

But for those You have given me,

Because they are Yours.

Romans 8:26

In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groaning.

Eph: 6:18

With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and stay alert in this, with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

1Thessalonians 5:17

Pray constantly

Psalm 6:9

The Lord has heard my plea for help, the Lord accepts my  prayer.

Philippians 4:6

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Romans 12:12

Rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction, be persistent in prayer.

Matthew 6:6

But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Matthew 7:7-8

"Keep asking, and it will be given to you.  Keep searching, and you will find.  Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Psalm 10:17
Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble,
You will strengthen their hearts.
You will listen carefully....

Insights from A Praying Life (3)

Anxiety is unable to relax in the face of chaos; continuous prayer clings to the Father in the face of chaos.
When you stop trying control your life and instead allow your anxieties and problems to bring you to God in prayer, you shift from worry to watching.

So the feel of a praying life is cautious optimism-caution because of the Fall, optimism because of redemption.

Hope begins with the heart of God.  As you grasp what the Father's heart is like, how he loves to give, then prayer will begin to feel completely natural to you.
"Behold, I make all things new" (rev 21:5) When you pray, you are touching the hopeful heart of God.  When you know that, prayer becomes an adventure.

Thanking God restores the natural order of our dependence on God.  It enables us to see life as it really is.
Thanksgiving looks reality in the face and rejoices at God's care.  It replaces a bitter spirit with a generous one.

A praying life opens itself to an infinite, searching God.  As we shall see, we can't do that without releasing control, without constantly surrendering our will to God.  "Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (mat 6:10)
Learned desperation is at the heart of a praying life.

If you are going to enter this divine dance we call prayer, you have to surrender your desire to be in control, to figure out how prayer works.
Desire and surrender are the perfect balance to praying.
Prayer is a moment of incarnation-God with us.  God involved in the details of my life.

What do I lose when I have a praying life?  Control. Independence.  What do I gain?  Friendship with God.  A quiet heart.  The living work of God in the hearts of those I love.
I lose my kingdom and get his.  I move from being an independent player to a dependent lover.  I move from being an orphan to a child of God.

When you start "asking anything," you'll be surprised with how your life begins to sparkle with the presence of God.

Prayer is the positive side of the surrendered will.  As you stop doing your own will and wait for God, you enter into his mind.  You begin to remain in him...to abide.  This is the praying life.

Insights from A Praying Life (2)

It didn't take me long to realize that I did my best parenting by prayer.  I began to speak less to the kids and more to God.  It was actually quite relaxing.
This really got my attention.  I had to look at myself and admit that often I try to control the outcome or the change that I want to come from my child.  I want to be able to say don't do this or that and let it be heard and then be done.  Well that hasn't worked so far and all I end up doing is getting upset and feeling awful after wards and at times it causes so much tension in the house.  I have worked on the "speaking softly" and "walking away to re-group" but I still hold on to that frustration at times and then it leads into the next moment that someone doesn't do something I wanted.

So.....with all that said that little blurt really hit me hard and made sense.  Bells started to ring in acknowledgment of what I need to be doing.....speaking less to the child and more to God.  I need to pray about the changes that I would like to see and giving it to God to control and work on the details than me.

A praying spirit transforms how we look at people.

A praying life isn't simply a morning prayer time; it is about slipping into prayer at odd hours of the day, not because we are disciplined but because we are in touch with our won poverty of spirits, realizing that we can't even walk through a mall or neighborhood without the help of the Spirit of Jesus.

Insights from A Praying Life (1)

I want to share some of the things that stuck out in the book that I highlighted.  (A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller) They got me to think, ponder and reflect.  I hope you will have a similar response.

Through having a praying life you don't experience God; but you will get to know him.


A praying life isn't something that you can accomplish in a year and say okay I did it!  It is a journey of a lifetime.

Learning to pray doesn't offer you a less busy life; it offers you a less busy heart.

Come overwhelmed with life, come with a wandering mind.  Come messy
(we have to take our God mask off...you know the one.  the one that on the outside says everything is fine when really on the inside you are falling apart.)  You have to be the real you.

ask like a child
children ask for everything and anything and they ask repeatedly.  over and over again
they say what is on their minds without really thinking about it first

(sermon on the mount:  Ask and it will be given to you)

believe like a child
children are confident in their parents love and power.  They instinctively trust and believe their parents.  Their parent loves, and protects them and wants good for them.
By learning to pray like a child you learn to dream again.  To learn how to pray is to enter the world of a child, where all things are possible.  Childlike faith drives persistence.

If you know that you, like Jesus, can't do life on your own, then prayer makes complete sense.

Prayer=Helplessness
God wants us to come to him empty-handed, weary and heavy -laden.

You don't need self-discipline to pray continuously, you just need to be poor in spirit.
teach me, help me

Praying

I've always known that praying was a way to talk to God, to have a conversation with Him.  I don't feel comfortable praying out loud.  I pray out loud when I'm by myself.  I pray silently while lying in bed, while walking the dogs, on a walk, waiting for the kids, just various times of the day.

I've always felt like I didn't know how to pray.  I wanted to get my words just right to express myself in the right way.  I know that the power of pray is powerful.  I have seen others have prayers answered and I have also experienced my answered prayers too.

There have been times I have wanted to pray but felt like I couldn't, or didn't know how or wasn't good at praying.  I have made pray sometimes the hardest thing to do instead of the simplest.  There were times in my life that it seemed I only prayed when something big was going on in my life.  Over the last couple of years I have found pray to a comfort and it has brought me peace and strength to keep moving forward in this crazy life and this world.  But I have also felt like that was just the tip of the ice berg and that there is more and I wanted to develop a cloeser bond with my Lord and Savoir through pray.

I have always believed in pray but I don't think I ever really understood it or knew what it was to really pray until I read an amazing, refreshing, book.  Praying is more than just praying, its like a whole new way of life.  A life with Christ in an intimate way that makes life here in this world brighter until we stand with our Lord.  There are many ways to feel connected to God.  Some worship through music, writing, reading His Word but another way is through praying.

I read this book recently that has really changed things for me regarding praying.  It's called A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller (connecting with God in a distracting world)  I picked it up at my church on the reading table and I'm so happy that God lead me to pick it and bring it into my life.

Changes have taken place in the way I think about myself, and others.  Changes have taken place in my heart and I look forward to praying with God.  Its a conversation worth looking forward to no matter what is on my mind and in my heart.  The things I've prayed for lately are in my mind and some haven't been answered yet but I find that I don't have that "heavy feeling" with the things I have asked help with because I have given them to God and can be at peace knowing that he will unfold the next part of my story when its His time.  The moment I fall into my all human habit of worry, frustration, sadness or heaviness I simply pray again.

The more I don't do

The more I talk to God during a quite moment.  The more I pray at any moment of the day.  The more I realize what I don't do....or should I say what I can't do.  I can't do it all.  I need the Lord.  I need His presence in my life daily and moment to moment.  The more I give to Him the more I know there is no reason to try to carry it all myself.  The weight of it is more than I can bear, why not give it to my all powerful Lord all mighty, His shoulders are bigger than mine.  The more I let it go to Him the more at peace and relaxed I feel and able to move onto the next moment and on to the next day.  Thank you Lord for showing me how helpless and dependent I am on you, giving me wisdom on how I can lean on you and allow you to be the ruler of my life.

Can't change it so Pray about it!

10:15 a.m. 2-6 -12

Today is a new day.  I can't change yesterday or the day before.  I need to move on from it and look into this new day as an opportunity to accomplish my purpose that God placed me here to do.  To start with instead of dwelling on what hurts emotionally, the things that bother me, the irritations that life brings, and the things I can not change.  I'm going to turn my focus on prayer.

I'm going to pray it away so to speak.  I can't change it so I will pray about it.  I'm going to pray what is in my heart to my Lord and Savior and let Him do the rest.

I will pray throughout the day, at any time during the day.  A feeling of peace will wash over me knowing that I'm giving it all to Him.  Then I will continue to move forward with Him in each new day that He gives me.

I figure it would be best at times if I spoke less of my grievances to others and more to God through prayer.

1:45 p.m.

I went out to walk the dogs and found myself praying to God.  I mentioned many things concerning several people in my life that I care about.

About one hour later my ex-husbands phone rings and he gets off the phone very happy and excited.  He tells me that a friend called him with news that he was going to start a new job and that He thought Scott would like to take his place on a long term temporary job that he had been working on.  Scott starts working tomorrow.  His foot will be in the door and maybe it could lead into a permanent job but I will save that for another prayer.    :)

the last thing I mentioned in my prayer was "Please God Scott needs some work, please place a job in his hands"

Thank you Lord for answering my prayer.

It is being Thankful that helps

Lord there are many things that I could lay before you tonight, but I'm finding it hard to really narrow it all down.  I need your help in working through it.  But as much as I find it at moments a struggle to keep things in your perspective I continue to return to gratefulness.

Lord I'm so grateful for the work that you have been doing in my family.  I have seen things change. With your help more things will change.  I know that things are moving forward in your plan.  I'm so glad that you have the plan and that you are the one to figure out all the details and put them into play when needed and use the right person or situation in the big plan of yours.

Thank you for revealing to me these little changes and filling me with hope as we walk forward together in your plan.  These little glimpses of your plan are such a blessing and filled with so much hope.  Thank you Lord for loving each of us so much to lead us into situations that will bring and have brought change to us. You are an all loving, all knowing, all forgiving, and all powerful God.

Thank you and I look forward with a heart full of hope and eyes looking upward to the many more blessings, situations and change that you will bring to my family and I.

It seems that it all goes back to being thankful for what you have and knowing where to go and where we will end up that brings everything back into perspective and helps carrying on to the next moment.

A message for my boys

1 Peter 4:12-13
My friends, do not be surprised at the terrible trouble which now comes to test you.  Do not think that something strange is happening to you.  But be happy that you are sharing in Christ's sufferings so that you will be happy and full of joy when Christ comes again in glory.

Psalms 7:10
My defense is of God, who saves the upright in heart.


(This comes from my ladies bible study book that we just started the study of Overcoming Fear and Discouragement by Kay Arthur) I read this out loud to the boys in their room.

God has given us the Bible so that we may know His commandments, statutes, ordinances, and laws.  If we know His Word, we can obey it!  The more we know and understand His principles and precepts, the more likely we will be to make the right choices.  Our responsibility is to know His Word, choose to trust Him in what He says, and choose to obey what He tells us to do.


God has also given us the Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us, and teach us all things.  God has given us everything we need in order for us to know what He wants us to do, to think, and to say.  Our problem is that sometimes we just make bad decisions.  Sometimes it's because we don't know any better.  Sometimes it's because we just want to do what's right in our own eyes.  We know what to do, but just choose not to do it.  Sometimes we just don't "listen" to His voice or to those messengers He send our way.


God will go to great lengths to bring us back to the point of obedience.  Sometimes He uses unbelievers to accomplish His will.  He loves us enough to create and destroy kings and kingdoms and even move us from place to place, if that is what it takes to get us to listen.  He faithfully does His part.  He desires fellowship with us...whatever the cost on our part or His.  His desire is that confess our sin, change our mind about what we have done, turn from that type of behavior, and return to a life of obedience.  Even when we've made a bad choice, we can still make the right choice.

(this is the message that I ended up with after the lesson was over in bible study)
God will restore you.  He will always keep his promises to you.  He will give you a future and hope.  We need to seek him and listen.  God will not destroy us but discipline us out of love.  God brings change through our misery or trials of feeling really low.  He brings change through humility.  He corrects us out of love.  True repentance is when there is a change of mind and heart.

There wasn't much to say to them after all that so I simply hugged them both and gave them each a hug and told them how much I loved them.  I also told them that I pray for them every day to lean on God and to make better choices as they go about their days.

It's amazing how God can show you the right words to say and share with others.  I went from being worried and concerned throughout the day to feeling at peace and knowing that God was taking care of it all and that I did not have to worry.

Thank you so my for always being my Lord and Savior in every aspect of my life.....my daily living and all the little things, storms, trials and situations that are in there.  Thank you so much.

A Revealing Kind of Day

I got to church yesterday morning early for the ladies bible study.  I put my stuff down in the room and went to browse in the church library.  My attention was quickly drawn to the latest movie that they had on display for check out.  I quickly picked it up and opened it up to sign the card to check it out.  I noticed that I was the first person to check it out.  I was excited to take it home for my family and I to watch.



Yesterday I started my day off heavy with burden.  I sat in the ladies bible study questioning silently what I should do.  I was a little pre-occupied but I was able to hear the message that came out of it all and it was amazing.  I went in thinking one thing and came out thinking another, isn't that great how that works? :)

At the end of the study I confided briefly with two friends and their words spoke loudly and simply....take the situation to Christ....lead the person back to the cross.  Let God handle it.  I walked out feeling a little lighter.

As the day went on I started to feel at peace with all that had been going on inside of me.  In fact things were revealed to me about where I have been sinning lately.

My son came home from school looking very heavy burden too.  I was actually happy that he looked that way.  He and I talked some and then I realized that God has been working on him and that would explain his heavy burden look. 

The evening came and my husband came home from work.  I went to him shortly after we ate dinner and told him some things that were revealed to me throughout the day.  I also apologized to him for my sins that were revealed to me.  He listened and I could tell that he understood what I was trying to say through my babbling tears.  He hugged me close and held me for a minute. 

I felt so light by this point and very peaceful.

We all went down stairs to watch the movie that I brought home from the church library.

After the movie had ended my husband and I at the same time without knowing it said "WOW"!  The movie was awesome.  If you haven't seen it, you should.  It's a great family movie especially for fathers and sons but it also was good for the girls to watch too.  It showed girls how they need to be treated and cared for by their fathers that will later affect them when they move on into a relationship with someone when their fathers let them go to the next step.  It showed the boys responsibility , accountability.  There were moments of laughter and moments of tears.  It was a fantastic movie.

I looked over to my husband while the credit rolled out of the movie and said "thank you for bringing my ex-husband here, giving him a second chance to be with his children"

I found myself sitting there thinking about my whole day.  The movie was a perfect ending to the day...messages were sent out to everyone in the room (my son with his situation) .  My day had been planned by my Heavenly Father.  

How do I describe my day yesterday?  Perfect!
Lord thank you so much for my day.

Maybe so but Maybe not

Maybe this parenting thing isn't really so hard after all.....or maybe it is.....
As an individual that follows God and can not do things on our own and only do them through God.  Why do we make things so hard.  Is it because we let our "good intentions" get in the way?  Yes, at least in my case.  All I really want is a warm loving family that is there for each other and is caring and kind and speaks softly to each other.  Is that so bad?  No if you only leave it at that and don't try to control it and want it so so bad that it turns into an idol which leads to a sinning heart.  :(

So as a parent we should pray for guidance and wisdom and understanding in dealing with our children, situations, trials and family issues.  We should take each moment to look at the "what is going on" at the time as an opportunity to lead our loved ones to the cross, to Christ.  To be a living example for them to see Christ likeness in us to be able to hear God, see God and let God into their hearts and mind.

I can't change my son's heart or my daughters or anyone!  I can follow, submit, worship, honor and obey my heavenly Father and let Him do the rest.  Let God use the people, situations, and things to lead their way to Him so he can work on what he started when he created that person and the next....

My friends, do not be surprised at the terrible trouble which now comes to test you. Do not think that something strange is happening to you. But be happy that you are sharing in Christ's sufferings so that you will be happy and full of joy when Christ comes again in glory.    1 Peter 4:12-13

What really comes out of a situation?

Recently I have had to deal with a situation that brought great frustration, confusion, concern, and some tears of disappointment.  But while going through the process of praying and asking for God's guidance, wisdom and understanding there were things revealed to me.  This situation involved my son and a bad choice he made followed by wrong actions but it was much more than that and it caught me by surprise.  God has revealed to me sin in my heart.  They are sins that were created from "good intentions".

My son will have to go to God and a friend and make things right with them.  I will also have to go to my husband and my step-son and God and ask for their forgiveness.  Wow how amazing....God is so great, so loving, so kind, so forgiving.  I'm so thankful that in all situations God is there with His power, glory, wisdom and love.