No More Tit-for-Tat

Gracious there are times when the Lotd, quite simply, grabs your attention. Not always through some magestical way, but sometimes in the quiet of the morning. I've been very slack in reading and praying through the chaos of my life lately. As I wrote to one friend - does it look like everything is going well in my Facebook posts? - yeah, that shows you how deceiving Facebook is! And for some reason, I shut down when the going gets tough, instead of reaching out to God. And that brings on anxiety. What a vicious circle.

So this morning, after several nights of no sleep, I'm awake in my dimly lit bedroom, reading the Girlfriends in God devotional that I've been ignoring forever. Today's message was good, about those God moments where the overwhelming desire to praise Him can occur in any life moment. And they said to read Psalm 63. 

I opened my Bible app and the verse of the day appeared. I usually glance at the first lines that show but rarely click on it To read the entire passage. Today I clicked. 

“To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. (Luke 6:27-30 MSG)

Two things stand out - (1) To you who are  ready for the truth. (I am often not! And therefore the Lord's message will not be revealed until we are ready!) and (2) If someone takes unfair advantage of you, practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Wwwhhhoooaaa. That's definitely not what society teaches us!! Living the servant life - no society teaches we live to be served. It's ME driven. Not THEE driven. 

So this concept of a servant's life keeps popping up in various places for me. Enough that I am recognizing this message. I pray I can have a servant's attitude because it's definitely not what I currently have. But it is what the Lord wants. 

A State of Mind

I've written post after post, saved them into drafts to come back and post later, only to never return to them. They didn't feel right. It was a lot of moping and sadness and stress and worry.

This Sunday in Sunday School we looked at Philippians 4:4-8 where Paul shares that we are to set our minds on things that are godly. We are to cultivate a spirit of joy despite our circumstances. And it was hearing this that I realized I've let circumstances shape me instead of finding the joy and blessings in my circumstances. 

It's been a difficult few months, heck - years! - but when I took time each night to be thankful, I was much happier. I also discovered when you get out of the habit of being thankful, it's more difficult to find things to be thankful for ... Like your vision is clouded with negativity and the positive things are overshadowed. 

I'm learning, taking baby steps. Weeding out the things that don't enhance my vision and trying to bring back the peace of God - it's only found in Him. 

Are you ready for some photos? Because I haven't shared any in a while. 

I shared my chocolate and she thoroughly enjoyed it hahaha!! I have been so blessed to have a good bit of time with this sweet niece. 

One of my new favorites of my sweet nieces. This was after AH's first volleyball game of the season. The next game they won! Go girls!!! 

Here she is about to switch places with her teammate so she will be in the middle. I think they are loving her height on the team ;) 

#TargetDog !! #KidsGotStyle - she loved the Target dog - hugged it and talked to it. I'm sparing you from the half dozen photos I took. 

Tomorrow is my 40th birthday and my friend and PenPal, Raynore, understands my love of HK and celebrating alllll month long! :) 

Ready to party at our cousin's one-year get together. Love this pic, it just cracks me up! 

My parents and sweet niece this weekend. It was beautiful weather and Dad fixed the swingset and sliding board. That girl played her heart out!! 

And this photo sums up my Dad. No one makes him laugh as much as Little Miss here. 

These are such awesome blessings. And just a few I managed to snap a picture of - so many more are stored away in my heart. 

A little late - this didn't post?

I wrote this a while back and thought it posted, but nope, it didn't.  I don't even know if it's finished, I'm not reading back over it, I'm just going to post it.  

In life, we all have our ups and downs.  There will be times we feel on top of the world and times we wonder why all this is happening to me.  And during both times, the highs and the lows, we can always find someone doing better than us and someone doing worse.  We can compare ourselves to the person doing better and be bitter and jealous.  We can compare ourselves to the person doing worse and have fake thankfulness.

Or, we could quit comparing ourselves and our situations to either and do what God tells us to do - be thankful in all things.

Yup.  It's hard.  Very hard.  And I'm not saying I do it well because I reallllllllly don't.  Ya'll have heard me discussing some of what my family and friends are going through right now.  I haven't been thanking God for the trials.  For the blessings I strive to see - yes.  But for the suffering, no.  But He clearly tells us to be thankful in all things.

Always be joyful and never stop praying.  Whatever happens keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ.  This is what God wants you to do.  - 1 Thes 5:17

Always use the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to thank God the Father for everything.  Eph 5:20

My family has seen six surgeries within the past 13 months.  Three in the past month.  My sister and her husband were four of them.  We are tired.  Drained.  Exhausted.  Our resources are tapped out.  Add to that I have some new medical stuff to check into next week and my very close friend in Alabama - her husband is in critical condition from a wreck. Let's not discuss the mounds of doctor bills I have - some for more than a year now that I'm paying on, but can't seem to really accomplish much headway.

But just like the card I sent my friend in Alabama, the Lord never promised Easy Street, but that He would be with us every step of the way.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we are in.  Heb 12:1

Be strong! Take courage! Don't be intimidated.  Don't give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you.  He's right there with you.  He won't let you down, He won't leave you. Deau 31:6

Be strong and courageous!  Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9

The Lord will never call us to do something we cannot do through His power.  We have to take the step forward.  Isaiah 6:8

Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and song and he has become my salvation.  Isaiah 12:2

I find comfort in these scriptures.  It's like a calm comes over me and I can have peace.

Look at Me!

My family has been on one wild ride. I don't always cover all the details of life on here, but wow, we've been on a wild ride.  And this coaster has barely pulled away from the dock - we got a ways to go.

But, as I crawled in bed last night with my heart heavy and sad, I opened up this Bible verse journal that my penpal friend in Louisiana sent to me ages ago.  It is a smallish 4 x 6 journal, burgundy and black, with Rejoice on the front.  For a long time, I added Bible verses and quotes that touched me and I carried it in my purse.  As my purse become more and more heavy, I cleaned out, including taking my little journal out.

Just this week I ran across it and thought - I really need to keep that handy.  But of course, I kept going on and didn't actually pick it up and put it somewhere more accessible.

Last night, as my heart hurt and I just needed some encouragement, I thought about my little journal with all those Bible verses inside.  I got it and crawled back in bed.  I opened it up and this is what I found:

But the Lord stood with me 

and gave me strength. 

                          2 Timothy 4:17

So always trust the Lord

because He is forever 

our mighty rock. 

                      Isaiah 26: 4

It was like he smacked me in the head and said - BETH.  Listen to Me.  Look at Me.  I'm patiently waiting for you to simply ask Me for what you need. I am your ROCK and I'll give you the strength to get through this, you just need to ask. 

It reminded me of last Sunday when I went to pick up Macy from Children's Church.  She was out of the classroom (why, I don't know, but that's another issue) and was walking in the crowded hallway.  Being so short, all she could see were legs, legs, and legs.  I see her clearly and am just about to touch her when she stops in the hall and starts crying because she can't find her MawMaw.  I touched her and called her name, but she was too lost in her own fears at that moment and couldn't look up to see her Aunt Beth.  I called her and talked to her, and finally put my hands on both sides of her cheeks and crouched down to her level saying, "LOOK AT ME!"  And it was then that she finally saw me.  I still wasn't MawMaw, but that's another story, too (haha). 

That little book shows up so many times when I need it.  It's God's way of crouching down and grabbing me by the face and saying, "Look at Me!!"  :)

One of those days

We all have them. You come home with a headache that is driving you crazy. I hate taking meds so I usually just ride it out, but this sucker is annoying. We have another special election coming up and it's wearing me out. Our normal "down time" doesn't exist anymore because of all the special elections at this point. So ready for my vacation. :)

You know what ways makes me happy- adorable pics of the sweet nieces!! 

Yes, I should crop this but I'm lazy tonight. This was from the weekend - love it! 

Yeah yeah I should crop - but check out this hilarious face!!! Hahahahaha. She does this stuff to make us laugh. And she's still only two!! Sheesh. 

The girls worked together to create my sister a Mother's Day gift. I won't show you the final product yet but she is going to love it. Even the two-year-old participated! Gonna be great. 

It's a rough pic but it's my sweet niece! 💗💗💗

What am I doing besides working? I'm reading in Nehemiah and I'm really enjoying it. Reminders like God always loves you and always hears you. 

"But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness, and you do not forsake them." 

Nehemiah 9:17

That is a higher power I want to follow. One that will always be by my side even though I'm not always faithful to Him. His love is so great I can't truly comprehend it. We always compare it to something we know of here on earth and there is no comparison. 

So that's life here. Hoping your life is going well wherever you are. Stop and say hello before you jet off. :)  I'll see you again soon! 

Happy New Week!

Hello Darlings! Posting a quick hello before I head for home. (Trust me, I'm ready to go home.)

This weekend was mucho fun! Saturday Macy had the time of her life:  it started with breakfast out, then we hit two playgrounds, rode the train in the mall, rode the kiddie car, kiddie helicopter, kiddie carousel, had an Elmo cookie,... I can't even remember what else! She was loving every minute of it. :)

I wish you could have seen her waving at everyone - it was so cute!

Mom and I hit Verizon where we tried to figure out how much their bill would go up to get both Mom and Dad a new phone, Mom's being a smartphone. It's insane! Now I remember why I like Straight Talk so much. Heaven help!

Unfortunately, that afternoon I became very sick and again, slept at Mom & Dad's house. All my tests are coming back normal, but something still going on, so please keep me in your prayers.

Sunday, Mom and I didn't make it to church, she's still in pain with the shingles. (pray for her, too!).  But I did get rest in, which was so very much needed. Even tried my hand at deviled eggs, which I don't eat but know Mom & Dad like them. I combined three random recipes, so hopefully they were ok.

Did I show you these pictures earlier? It's from when we celebrated my brother's birthday. Katie really had Mace decked out so cute!  These are some of my new favorite photos.

I'm trying hard not to worry so much about whatever is going on with me. I talk to God, I say - God, I know you see this.  I know you see inside and you know what's going on. Please give me the courage to keep on keepin' on and have faith that you've got this. I have three more doctor visits lined up in the next two weeks.  It's funny, I knew I needed to get 140 hours of overtime off the books before September. Well, this is one way to do it! I'm also taking some time off to just spend with Macy at children's museums or going visiting or whatever while Katie gets her classroom ready at school.

Ok folks, tomorrow is double doc appointment.  Wish me well and say a prayer! :) If you are a spiritual person, feel free to post your favorite Bible verse in the comments.  I think it would be really neat! :)  This is what I keep telling myself over and over:

for sale here

Thanks ya'll, I'll update again soon. And one more thing - tell me what you think of the button and burlap monogram before I make a bunch of them and ya'll all think they are cheesy!