Do you ever

feel like your dreams are ALWAYS put on hold? 

The dream I have always had was shattered back in August 2004.  That is the day that my divorce became final from the man I thought I would spend the rest of my life with. The love of my life and father to my children.  I  was a young bride of 17 back in 1982, and only dreamed of our future together.  I felt we had a good life together ahead of us. The military wasn’t part of that dream.  But I went along and made a home at every “base” along the way. After traveling the globe with him as he served in the US Navy, we finally retired in 2002 I thought our dreams would finally happen, sooner than later.  Our dream had always been to get back closer to family and I would finally be able to get that HOME, I so longed for after years and years of waiting and military housing, filling it with grandchildren and lots of memories.
But something changed.  My world as I knew it was over that day.

Fast forwarding a bit, through many hurdles and heartbreak I found myself struggling and confused.  I was a grown woman with no skills unless you count motherhood, I was a SAHM.  Which I had proudly been for all those years.  Raising three beautiful children. But my concern was how will I take care of myself.  I felt unloved and rejected.   I had many bitter and angry feelings towards myself and played the blame game.  Blaming myself.  Wondering why I wasn’t enough, and why didn’t I matter enough to try?  How he could throw everything we were together and been through together away?  Why she got his best years and I had the struggling ones?   I wanted my life back.  But he didn’t want me, did he ever love or want  me, really? (I really don’t think I could stand to hear the answer to that question even today)

Then on New Years Eve of 2005 my now husband asked me to marry him(I was in no hurry to rush into anything)  and through all that time I still questioned and wondered if I would ever be able to build my dreams with someone else. Memories, grandchildren and a home.  In 2008 we married.  In April we will have been married 5 years, and still waiting on some of those dreams.
In the last year, we finally moved closer to family a dream fulfilled(although all six of our children-his three, my three) are all over the map as well as our now 4 grandchildren (his three and my one).  Another dream fulfilled, whom God blessed us with,  we are still working on the home part of “our” dream.
In the last several years, since selling my home that I occupied with my first husband, I have been in limbo for a place to call “mine” again.  Sometimes my heart aches for a home of my own.  And I find myself “waiting” yet again….but I have seen how God has fulfilled many of my dreams in the last year and I am sure he is picking out the perfect house for me to make this dream worth waiting for.  God has blessed me in so many ways.  Today I am grateful for all he has done for me and given to me.  How do you “wait” on God when it seems to be moving so slow?   How do you deal with this? Please feel free to share your experience and your help tip.
Blessings,
     Cindy

2 Timothy 1:7“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

God’s Grace

There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak.... 

"I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright. 

I stopped the lad and asked, "What do you have there, son?"

"Just some old birds," came the reply.

"What are you going to do with them?" I asked.

"Take 'em home and have fun with 'em," he answered. "I'm gonna tease 'em and pull out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time."

"But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do then?"

"Oh, I got some cats," said the little boy. "They like birds. I'll take 'em to them."

The pastor was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds, son?"

"Huh?? !!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister.

They're just plain old field birds. They don't sing. They ain't even pretty!"

"How much?" the pastor asked again. 

The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, "$10?"

The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free.

Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell this story:

One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. "Yes, sir, I just caught a world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!"

"What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked.

Satan replied, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I'm gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"

"And what will you do when you are done with them?"

Jesus asked. "Oh, I'll kill 'em," Satan glared proudly.

"How much do you want for them?" Jesus asked.

"Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you. You don't want those people!!"

"How much? He asked again.

Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your blood, tears and your life."

Jesus said, "DONE!" Then He paid the price. 

The pastor picked up the cage and walked from the pulpit. 

Hebrews 7:25“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Cindy

Recipe for Contentment

I am posting this as a reminder today. I really needed this.



Recipe for Contentment

time required: Hebrews 10:35-39
preheat at 1 John 3:1-3

Ingredients: 
Matthew 6:8, 32         Matthew 5:45
Matthew 7:9-11          1 Corinthians 10:13
1 Timothy 6:6-8         Romans 8:28-39
Hebrews 13:5-6          Proverbs 31:25
Philippians 4:11-13   1 Peter 5:10-11
Job 2:10

~~~~~~
Directions:
Matthew 6:9-21, 25-34   1 Peter 4:19
Matthew 7:7-8                    1 Peter 5:6-9
Proverbs 3:5-6                   1 Timothy 6:17
Proverbs 19:23                   Exodus 20:17
Hebrews 13:5-6
Philippians 2:14-15
Romans 8:24-25

Serves All: O taste and see that the Lord is Good! Psalm 34:8

*Can be made under all circumstances according to Paul’s not-so-secret recipe! Philippians 4:12*

Hebrews 1:3“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Devotions to make you think

This is a devotion that I received via email and thought it quite appropriate for “Thankful Thursday” posting as I have been thinking alot lately about how thankful I am for these little reminders that show up in my mailbox.

 

Thoughtful Living

PSALM 25:8-15

Psalm 25:8-15 (New International Version, ©2011)

⁸ Good and upright is the LORD;
   therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
⁹ He guides the humble in what is right
   and teaches them his way.
¹⁰ All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
   toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.
¹¹ For the sake of your name, LORD,
   forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

¹² Who, then, are those who fear the LORD?
   He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.^[a]
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,
   and their descendants will inherit the land.
¹⁴ The LORD confides in those who fear him;
   he makes his covenant known to them.
¹⁵ My eyes are ever on the LORD,
   for only he will release my feet from the snare.

Are you living thoughtfully and intentionally—or automatically? It's so easy to get up each morning, do our work, enjoy some relaxation or entertainment, and fall into bed each night without giving any thought to God's involvement in our lives. But to be ignorant of how He has blessed, guided, protected, and warned us is a foolish way to live. Just consider the benefits of keeping our spiritual eyes and ears open throughout the day.

Those who are aware of the Lord's presence during their daily activities enjoy the peace of knowing that He is always in control and working to accomplish His good purposes. Every day's experiences with Him teach them to know and love Him more.

When we learn to see God's footprints in our days, we will become aware of the scope of His involvement in our lives. Maybe He strengthened you for a task or opened a door of opportunity. Perhaps He guided your decisions or helped you respond in a godly way to a difficult person.

If our ears are open to the Lord's warnings and instructions, we won't repeat the same mistakes again and again. But those who are deaf to His voice will continue in unhealthy thought patterns, negative emotions, and foolish responses.

Each night before you go to sleep, take some time to reflect on the day's activities. The Lord is constantly with you, guarding and guiding your way. He wants you to see Him in everything and understand life from His perspective as you rely on His wisdom and power to face any challenge.

 

 

 

I’m always so thankful for anything that makes me sit back and reevaluate myself and my Christian walk. How ‘bout you?

I hope you will join us for Thankful Thursday.  Thanks Lynn for being a gracious hostess.

Galatians 2:20“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Thankful Thursday and other stuff

NOTE: Please note my Network Blog over in the right column, if you are on Facebook and would like to get updates from me, please connect with me.

Can you believe it?  I actually made it here to blog today. I have missed you all.  Before I give my list of thanksgiving, I wanted to update you all on all that is going around here.

Since my last post, it hasn’t been boring.  I have made a trip home to Kentucky to visit with family and witness my nephew become a legal member of our family.  That was a truly awesome day for my sister, and as tears strolled down our faces, she whispered to me “ I’m finally a mom”.  Thrilled and ecstatic don’t do justice to her feelings that day.

Although I made the trip alone, hubby had to stay home, it was some fun time with my mom and dad.  Spent alot of time eating out, watching some movies, and running to antique shops.  A very favorite past time for me and my mom. 

But since getting back home, some areas of my life I have been fretting over.  I hate to even mention it because I sound like a broken record.  But selling this house is taking a huge toll on me and making me question my trust in God. Is he listening to me?  Did I actually say that?  

Why is it so hard to trust God when things look so bleak.  I really don’t distrust God, I really do trust him, but I keep asking myself why certain things aren’t happening for us and everything is working out for all those around us.  Is selling this home some kind of lesson?….what am I suppose to be learning from it?  PATIENCE…..oh boy, I am not good with this trait.  I am finding myself getting disgruntle over the smallest of things.  I am getting anxious about everything.  All my feelings are so raw and I could cry at drop of a hat.  I just want to move on…..I want to start the next chapter in my life. But apparently I have unfinished business in this chapter.

So I am back to “trusting God” that he knows what’s best….I read “

“Trusting God actually takes effort. Trusting God actually takes work. It
takes reading the Bible. It takes meditating on Scripture. It takes praying
about things. It takes taking our own souls to task and stopping one kind of
thinking and turning to another kind of thinking. It takes work. It takes 
effort.”

this excerpt was taken from “Trusting God” by Carolyn Mahaney, Carolyn goes on to say “

The Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb.
11:6). Fear is sin. And as my husband has often graciously reminded
me—God is not sympathetic to my unbelief. Why? Because fear,
worry, and unbelief say to God that we don’t really believe He is
“merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast
love and faithfulness” (Ps. 86:15). We are calling God a liar.” 

Ok, WOW I never really thought about that before.  How God views my lack of faith and trust.

If you are lacking in faith and having a hard time Trusting God” check out the whole article written by Carolyn Mahaney.

 

In saying all that, I have much to be grateful and thankful for:

• My nephew,Caleb
• Wonderful time spent with my hubby this last week, we have had a incredible time with some awesome discussions.
• The wonderful rain we received this week to make our flowers and gardens happy.
• Great friends to share a meal with.
• My DIL receiving her AA .
• Another great sunny day and seeing the flowers sprinkle the earth with color. God is a awesome artist.
• Home movies of my children taken 26 years ago.  I can relive their youth.
• And I am thankful for this house too, at least I have a nice home and I can make the payments because we have work. So even when I am disgruntled with having it, I am grateful that I do, because many don’t.  God has been so good to me.
• Thankful for my wonderful hubby.  (pic below was taken at our rehearsal for our wedding)

If you would like to participate in Thankful Thursday join us this month at “Spiritually Unequal Marriage”
Hugs,

James 1:21“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Crawling out from under the rock

I hope finally for good. Ladies, this has been a very trying time for me, alot of changes going on in and around me and I have felt a bit out of sync and a bit overwhelmed. Days filled with sadness and gloom.

I decided to share this with you because I need to be accountable for this feeling that I have been denying for way to long. Over the course of the last two months I have come to realize that I do suffer from depression and these feelings of inadequacy as a mother, wife have to stop, among other areas.

I get so "down" on myself and regardless of all the sweet gestures made toward me, I don't feel them. I hope some of you can relate to this, and can offer some words or guidance to me. My poor sweet hubby has tried to express this to me, but I would “cut” him off because I didn’t  want to believe I suffered from this. Not another flaw, not another character defect. Is is situational or permanent?  How can you tell?  How do you know?

Between family, work decisions, becoming a empty nester, my life as I have known it has changed majorly over the course of a few months. All the things that made me who I was, is no more.  I was always a mother, but now with all my kids on their own, and living there own lives, I don’t have that “label” anymore per se. I’m not needed like I was before. As well as a  employee, since I now am at home again full time (at least for now).  I don’t have that label either.  I feel I have to reinvent myself and I really don’t know how…where to start? 

I know the first place to look is in God’s word to see what he says on the matter of depression, so I have picked a few verses that spoke to me.

(Using  Bible gateway to research my verses)

Broken Heart- (NASB) Psalms 34:18, Proverbs 17:22

¹⁸The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
         And saves those who are crushed in spirit.

²²A joyful heart is good medicine,
         But a broken spirit dries up the bones.

Can result from failure to confess- Psalms 32:3-4

³When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
         Through my groaning all day long.
⁴For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
         My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.

After spending time reading all the different scriptures dealing with depression that I could find, I didn’t stop there, I went in search for more biblical teachings from women who have been there.

As I was thinking about all I have been struggling with, I was reminded again of David and his struggles.  Instead of relaying it all again, Courtney at Women Living Well stated it wonderfully. (Psalms 69)  Back in February she started a series of post about depression and if you struggle or have been struggling, I hope you will take a look at them. 

I thank you all for being patient with me and for not given up on me and my blog….but I find myself at a crossroad in life, with alot of new adventures just over the horizon, and I don’t want to miss them, so the time has come for me to take action….so that I can live in the Joy promised by my Father.

God turns mourning into Joy – Jeremiah 31:13

¹³ Then maidens will dance and be glad,
       young men and old as well.
       I will turn their mourning into gladness;
       I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.

Love,

More on Contentment

Since yesterday’s post I spoke about my contentment, I decided to do a little researching and reading what the bible and bible scholars had to say.  This is what I found.

What is contentment? One definition states that contentment is “happiness with
one’s situation in life.” 1 Another definition states that contentment is “the state of
being contented; satisfaction; ease of mind.” 2 So, contentment could generally be
defined as a state where a person is happy and not anxious with life no matter what
the circumstances.

after spending some time reflecting on God’s word and about contentment in our lives,  I ran across this commentary…from Biblegateway.

It is a good work to succor and help a good minister in trouble. The nature of true Christian sympathy, is not only to feel concern for our friends in their troubles, but to do what we can to help them. The apostle was often in bonds, imprisonments, and necessities; but in all, he learned to be content, to bring his mind to his condition, and make the best of it. Pride, unbelief, vain hankering after something we have not got, and fickle disrelish of present things, make men discontented even under favorable circumstances. Let us pray for patient submission and hope when we are abased; for humility and a heavenly mind when exalted. It is a special grace to have an equal temper of mind always. And in a low state not to lose our comfort in God, nor distrust his providence, nor take any wrong course for our own supply. In a prosperous condition not to be proud, or secure, or worldly. This is a harder lesson than the other; for the temptations of fullness and prosperity are more than those of affliction and want. The apostle had no design to urge them to give more, but to encourage such kindness as will meet a glorious reward hereafter. Through Christ we have grace to do what is good, and through him we must expect the reward; and as we have all things by him, let us do all things for him, and to his glory. (Php 4:20-23)

John MacAuthur gives these secrets to contentment: (you can read in detail these secrets)

• First, learn to give thanks in all things.
• Second, learn to rest in God's providence.
• Third, learn to be satisfied with little.
• Fourth, learn to live above life's circumstances.
• Fifth, learn to rely on God's power and provision.
• Finally, become preoccupied with the well-being of others.

Contentment and the Bible

What brings contentment? Contentment is a gift from God and grows out of having His perspective on life. "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:12-13, NIV.

Contentment grows out of humility and trust in God. "My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me." Psalm 131:1, NIV.

Contentment grows out of devotion to Christ and eternal values. "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Matthew 6:24, NIV.

Coveting is a barrier to contentment. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:17, NIV.

Materialism is a barrier to contentment. "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction." I Timothy 6:9, NIV.

I’d like to say that I am feeling more content today about things, but that isn’t the case.  Still at this moment, I feel like I am dangling by a thread with uncertainties.Even a little down about where and how things stand.  So much is going on in my head and heart and I know I need to “be still” and listen.   I know I need to turn all these things over to God and let him do  the work….but my human flesh begs me to hang on.   I know I must “Let go and Let God”.

Is this something that you struggle with too?  If so, how do you cope with being content?