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. 

Actually, I am Irish!

Thanks to ancestery.com I do know that I am part Irish! So happy Saint Patty's day from an official Irish girl. I also found out I am very boring and very white. I honestly expected something more than European, Irish and English. Oh well, I am what I am. :)

I am also a fierce dinosaur! Sweet niece went to a birthday party were dinosaurs was the theme. She wore this mask for half the day- loved it! So we became dinosaurs together. <3

I'm studying a devotion with an online group on Facebook. It's called Broken and Redeemed a study on the God who redeems our stories. I ordered the journal off Amazon and I have so enjoyed this devotion!

Why I like having the group online is because it opens up others understandings of the scripture that we read. I learn so much from what other people got out of the Scriptures, it opens my eyes to complete new lessons.  I recommend it - find it on Amazon.

I rarely show photos of just myself, but here I am with one of the custom orders that has come in recently for Pressed Clovers. This year I asked that God would allow me to make things that people wanted. All the sudden my bib and burp cloth business took off like lightning. With it came some growing pains of trying to keep up three stores, two brick-and-mortar, one online, so at this point the online has been taken down. But I so love having people want what I make! To know that it is helpful to mommies and their babies because it's a good quality product. I've had some pains - I've had to learn some lessons and make adjustments, but it's so worth it and I'm learning so much as I go.

Then mom started making hair bows. Big beautiful fluffy poofy cute hair bows for all the little princesses out there. Beautiful work - it is amazing what she can do. So now that has also become a part of Pressed Clovers! And I couldn't be happier to have my mom working with me. 

We are headed to a tractor show in two weeks to set up and sell. Should be interesting! Hopefully, it will go really well and the brand will be more recognizable for future purchases! I donated two sets for a church fundraising event in this same community last week and hope that will be remembered. 

I know it's odd for someone with no children to get this excited over bibs and burp cloths. My prayer was very sincere, I wanted to make things that people wanted. I think I've done that, not on my own but thanks to the Lord. It truly seems like God was waiting for me to just ask for success and I finally did.  I sincerely hope that I'm on the right path.

OK since I've already held this in drafts for a few days, I think it's time to go ahead and publish. Hope you're having a wonderful week and a happy happy Tuesday.   :) 

24 Hours a Day

First let's share some pics I have taken lately:

Macy rolled up in the recycling tub. As someone posted to this picture- let her do it now while she still can! 

The oldest sweet niece after church looking so cute!!

My sister loved her Mother's Day gift made by the girls. :)

Macy and MawMaw on Mother's Day. Love this picture so much!!

We had great Mother's Day here on the hill. My friend, Raynore, sent me a card saying "You don't have to be a mother to mother."  So sweet! My cat, Noelle, also gave me a card! Hilarious! (Thanks to my brother-in-law!) 

Now that photos are over I thought I'd mention the past week in Sunday School and the discussion on prayer. I'll be the first to say I don't pray like I should. I just don't. But when my dad was diagnosed with bladder cancer we were asking everyone to put him on prayer lists. Churches across the country were praying for my dad. And one church had a 24-7 prayer list where members were praying every hour of the day. I actually got emotional just thinking about how powerful that was. Whenever I woke up in the middle of the night, I knew he was being prayed for. Brushing my teeth before work -I knew someone was praying for my dad. 

Someone who had never met my dad, knew nothing about him except he had bladder cancer and someone asked that he be prayed for. 

So special. So powerful. Maybe talking about it here and remembering how it impacted me will encourage me to be a better pray-er. 

I woke up this morning to read the same Girlfriends in God as yesterday. But that's ok, obviously it's a message I need to hear twice. And that is you have to know who you are before God can give you the mission He has for you. He knew who you were and every one of your appointed days well before you were created. And have no doubt / you are His creation and He loves who you are!!! Instill struggle with understanding where I should go in order to fulfil God's plan for me- where is my path He has for me? But I suppose it will be clear in time. 

I feel like I've rambled so that you've left. Maybe another picture? 

Macy in the chair and sheet tent we made at my house.

She and Mom on our ladies' play date. We had a ball!! 

Yes - this is what I get when I want a photo of the two of us. These crazy faces!!! Hilarious. Love her to pieces! And her sister, who comes home today :) hooray! Can't wait!

Ok that's enough rambling on and on. Hope you have a great weekend! <3

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! 

Wherever She Goes We Follow

Right at this moment, I'm wondering how a potholder got in my bedroom? The answer is Macy. So today I worked for 7 hours, wrote checks so that each of the 12 medical entities gets paid this month, hmmm but forgot to make the car payment- and then I CAME HOME. I practically begged Katie to bring Sweet Niece #2 over so I could have some time wih her.

Coming up my steps, Macy announces she needed to go to my big potty. I may be a wonderful aunt, but I have no potty here. So we go rushing into the house and to the bathroom where she stop and points to the toilet. "That's your potty!"  Indeed, and I tossed her scrawny butt on it. Success! (Ed. Note: since then I have purchased a pink lady bug potty)

Katie walked back over to her house and I knew Mom was on her way home, so I called to share our success story and invited her over for some Macy lovin'. While I'm on the phone with her and trying to balance Macy on an upside down laundry basket in the bathroom so she could wash her hands, my front door opens. It's Dad! He figured out where Macy was and came over. 

So I ended up with Macy, Mom, Dad, Katie and me in my living room. We don't fit well in my living room, but it was awesome. I loved it. AND Dad fixed my tv!! Hooray! 

Let's get real, everyone just wants to see pictures. This is about all I got. I recovered my Bible tonight because I've never liked it being an advertisement for Charles Stanley. Love it - great study Bible, but this is more Bethie like. 

I'm heading to read Ezra chapter 7. Gotta keep up with Paulene. What a blessing, this walk together through Ezra!! Y'all have a great night :)

Friday's Letters!

Who is ready for the Friday Dance!!! Today is Friday! Today is Friday! Yes, get your groove on in your chair, at your desk, in the car... just enjoy the fact that today is Friday!

Granted, I'm working tomorrow.

But today is still FRIDAY!

I have to share a story before sharing letters.  My sister has been asking Macy what she wants for Christmas, and usually Macy says Corn on the Cob. Or Grapes.  Santa is gonna be a tad bit confused when she visits.  Anyway, we've been crazy busy at work and I haven't seen her this week.  So when Katie asked her this morning, she said, "Aunt Beth." (my heart is 100% melted to a puddle in the floor!)  So Katie asked - which do you want more, Aunt Beth or Corn on the Cob? After serious consideration, Macy chose Aunt Beth.  I rank higher than Corn on the Cob!! *happy dance!*  I'm making this quick so I can get home and see her tonight. :)

Marching onward to the letters!

Dear Koala. I love you. I bought two of you - one for me and one for my sister. Because she'll appreciate this sense of humor. hee hee. I'm still giggling over it. And at $.13 - a steal!

Dear Winthrop, I can't find jack crap on your campus anymore because you have tried to transform yourself into an ivy league impostor and smacked up new building on every available surface of earth. Which is fine, it's very beautiful, but holy heck where do you park? And why are your roads so confusing these days? ... All that and I still think you are a beautiful campus. Love the Tillman logo.

Dear God, I have a lot to thank you for:  the good report at the doctor, the great Bible study in Ezra with my friend, Paulene, Mom's improvement, the less stress than I usually have during election season, my boss seeing my need for assistance, -- this list goes on forever, and includes beautiful scenery, beautiful weather... Thank you.

Dear Friday, yes, you about got the best of me after I searched for approval for poster and went to the 1st floor, 3rd floor, 2nd floor, 3 floor, 2nd floor and 1st floor... then down the scary outdoor metal stairs with my hands full of printing, then dumped all the printing across the parking lot. Yes, you about got the best of me, but you forget: I'm better than Corn on the Cob, so TAKE THAT!

Sweet Niece #2, you made my week.  Love you bunches, babe!

Dear Dad, I know you and mom have worried about me. Thanks for giving me a break this week and treating me to lunch.  It was so good to get away from the office for a bit. :)

Ok peeps, I'm heading home.  Ya'll have a great weekend! XXX

Saturday's Letters?

I actually started writing my Fridays letters on Friday, but it didn't get finished. So enjoy Saturday's letters. Not the first time and I feel sure not the last.

Check out the cool cat hammering away on my new bookcase! 

Dear Sweet Niece #1:  you were a huge help last weekend with the shelves. Two sets! You hammered with little fear (haha) and figured out how it all went together better than some men I know. Good job! 

I also enjoyed your volleyball game this week!! I wish my schedule wasn't so hectic - I'd love to practice with you. Keep your chin up, babe! 

Dear book of Ruth: you are a short book in the Bible, but you made me long for a man like Boaz. A guy that respects me, wants to help me walk closer with God, a protector and who loves me for who I am. I'm trying to wait and not make any more mistakes on this front. 

Dear Paulene, I'm looking forward to diving into Ezra with you!  

Dear Lord, I'm doing my best to stay calm about a few health issues. Part of me wants to move into a hospital to have every ache and pain monitored because I'm a scaredy cat. But You got this, You are in control. Please help me breathe and relax! 

Dear Private Prayer, I so hope The Lord answers your prayers-our prayers- with a resounding YES! 

Dear Pop, I hope I'm feeling better tomorrow so I can make the apple cake for you :) EDITOR'S NOTE: this turned out horrible. I don't know what I did wrong, but it was BAD!

Dear Mrs Campbell, my kindergarten teacher, you knocked my socks off when you came in to vote and recognized me immediately. Kindergarten was 35 years ago!! You have kept up with me and still showed such pride that I was one of your students. You are amazing - you are still touching lives long after your retirement. :) 

And this wraps up one more week!  I'm heading to bed and hope I feel better tomorrow. Sweet dreams everyone!