How was your week?

This past week has been a long one for sure. After our car accident last week we were truly blessed when a dear friend offered us loan of her car so I didn't have to work to figure out how to get Kim to and from school and myself to and from work. My sister was very willing to work it all out with me but I was so thankful for my friend's offer. It's just so hard to work out 2 trips to and from town a day and 3 peoples schedules with 1 car.

So my car was ready to go from the body shop on Wednesday. I happy that they were so quick. Just six days and now it's looks brand new again. I got a new bumper, new headlamp, new radiator, new air conditioner condensor, and a small ding worked out of my fender. The air conditioner recharged and complete 4 wheel alignmnet. All for the grand total of $2600, thank heaven for State Farm. My car looks great now though and even runs and drives better then it was before. So there are a few things that would have needed done before summer was over so in that respect the accident was really a bit of a blessing.

We've had typical March weather. Near 50 degrees early in the week and then a blizzard yesterday. The blizzard gave us another 4 inches of snow and was so bad at one point that I couldn't see across the street. I was not thrilled. I'm not a fan of winter anyway and by this time in the season I'm really done with it.

I also got a new parenting book from church and have been working on some issues with Kim. She really can be such a sweet kid but definately has issues with thinking that she is in control and can do whatever she wants. And She doesn't listen to well when I'm trying to get her to do what she needs to do. So we are working on these issues. And today was definately a battle day. We got to church and the fit started. Unfortunately we ended up spending nearly the first hour of church in the car while she threw her fit. Finally she settled down and I gave her the final choice of going in and sitting on my lap in the back prayer room where we could still hear the service over the speaker or staying in the car until service was over. She of course wanted to go home but that wasn't one of the options. She finally decided that we could go in and sit in the back room. It was definately a rough morning but I won that battle. We are now one step closer to where we need to be. I hadn't realized that we were really child-centered parents. And that is really hard not to do when you have an only child but we will get past this and get to the next step.

So how was your week? Anything new and exciting in your world?

It was a very nice Sunday

I got to sing at church today as part of the worship team and I really enjoyed it. It was so nice to be able to get up on the stage and hold that mic in my hand and sing for HIM. There is something about singing in public that really lifts me up and to be able to sing for His glory makes it all that much better.

Then we got the priviledge of sharing some wonderful fellowship time and great food with a potluck this evening.

And now it's back to another work week. I can't believe there is only a week left of February and March will be here. Spring is around the corner and will be here before we know it. Thank heaven for that. When I brought Kim home from school on Friday the tree in our front yard had a load of robins in it. A wonderful sign of warm weather to come.

Tuesday I get another wondeful day to myself. Hopefully this week will be better then last week. My poor sweet girl is still having to deal with the bully problem at school and last week she spent the entire morning in tears. Her teacher finally called me and I went and got her.

Quite frankly I think that the children who are the problem should be sent home but I went and got her and took her out of the situation. I did get some good advice from my Pastor though. She suggested that I talk to Kim about it and explain to her that the reason these 2 kids are so mean is because they don't have Jesus in their hearts and they don't know how much He loves them and how much He loves her.

So she and I talked about it and she understands all those points. And I asked her if there was something really special she could pray to Jesus and ask him to give to the kids that are being mean to her, what would she ask Him to give them. My sweet girl said "I would ask Jesus to give them a great big hug like I give you momma". I couldn't be more proud of her. Even with these 2 kids making her feel sad she understands (atleast a little bit) that they need His love. I'm going to keep reinforcing that with her and helping her to pray for these 2 kids. If at the very least she will have a different perspective on them and hopefully she will be able to move forward and not be so sensitive to the taunting.

I think it's just appauling that in Preschool we have to deal with the issue of bullying but we will deal with it the best we can. I keep asking myself what ever happened to parents teaching their children how to treat others and how to be kind and conciderate of others.

Prophetic Assembly

Today is the last day of our Daniel Fast at church for most of the congregation. I will be continuing until Saturday though. Starting Thursday night we will be having Prophetic Assembly at church. I am on the list for prophecy for Saturday morning. I'm really excited about it. I thought I would be nervous about it but I'm really excited. I am looking forward to hearing what God has to say for me. And to see where he is leading me to go with my Christian walk.

Nothing is Impossible

This morning at church Pastor Carey was talking about our destiny that God has instore for each of us and how on HE knows what that destiny is. She was talking about how excited she is to see God's work in each of our lives and in our Valley in 2009. I am too. She then asked us each to right down a few things on a peice of paper.

1. Possible - Something that I think is possible in 2009. To be our of debt. I truly believe that that is Gods plan for us this year and I trust that He will provide for us to achieve that goal.

2. Highly Improbably - Something that I think is highly improbable and will really need God's help in making it happen. For Larry to find God and join Kim and I in our walk with HIM.

3. Impossible - Something that I think is impossible. Nothing is impossible for God.

So now we'll wait to see God's work in our lives this year.

Taking a Financial Leap of Faith

So I've been thinking that my News Years resolution was going to be to get out of debt before the end of the year. And being that I still have almost 3 years of payments on my car that's a big deal. Many places in the Bible it says that you should not borrow or owe anything. I think my favorite scripture on the subject though is

Romans 13:8
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Anyway, I had been thinking that I would get through December and Christmas and then I would start really knuckling down on our budget and start tithing (for the first time). Well this week I have been clearly hearing God say "No you'll start now". So in my desire to become more obedient to God I'm taking a huge leap of Faith and stepping out of my comfort zone just as Pastor Carey said yesterday. Wednesday is payday and I will be writing my first tithing check. Of course that is money that I could put towards something else but I am putting everything in God's hands and trusting that he will provide what we need.

Where does faith start?

That is a question that Pastor Carey asked today at church. Where does faith start? Faith begin with the Word of God. So now we know where it starts but what exactly is faith? Faith is the evidence of hope.

Hebrews 10:23 says

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

If faith starts with the Word then how does it start with you personally. Doesn't everyone know the reason for Christmas and Easter. That they are because of God and the Son. Is there someone out there that doesn't know and truly believes that those holidays are only about Santa and the Bunny? Sadly I'm sure that there are some out there in the world that don't know. So if we know the reason and know of God where does just knowing the Word turn to having Faith? Where did it start for you? I would love to hear your story.

God has really been working on my heart the past few weeks. Bringing me back "home". And as she spoke today I was really moved in my heart to push my faith in God farther. To step out of my comfort zone. I love the worship time at Christian Life Center. Being able to stand and sing praises to God. What a wonderful feeling to lift my hands in praise and feel the Holy Spirit overwhelm me. I haven't felt that in a long time. And I'm so excited to be able to being Kimmie to the same place. I know that God brought me back.

He made it easy for Kimberly to be able to attend the Christian Academy. He let all the obsticles there fall to the way side. There the seed was planted into her heart for the desire to go to church. And then my sweet girl invited me to come along with her. From there I was drawn back to CLC and I'm so greatful to be there again.

I also had to apologize to Pastor Carey this morning. God has really been weighing the issue on my heart the past week. Telling me that I had to apologize and ask for forgiveness. Which is not an easy thing for me. But I did what I was supposed to do. And what was right. Even if she had know idea I still owed it to her. I had been being very judgemental towards her and I was in the wrong. I could literally feel the weight lifting as I spoke to her. How Great is our GOD!!

Sunday Morning

This morning Kim and I went to church at the church I grew up in. Christian Life Center. It was nice to see familiar old faces. And to worship the Lord with everyone. They had a guest speaker this morning, Pastor Ernest Gentile. They said that he had been there a few times in the past. He spoke about allowing yourself to accept new things as well as the old. Change is good and keeps things fresh. In everyday life as well as with your relationship with God. Kim enjoyed it as well. She went to Sunday school and had fun there. She was excited about going to the church that Larry and I were married in. She said she wanted to go there again which made me happy. We will be going again next week. I'm a little excited about "going home" again. I guess that's what I would call it. I haven't been to church there in over 15 years so it will be nice to get back.

After service Kim was out on the steps and climbed up on the rail. It brought back memories of us as kids doing the same thing after church. Standing out on the rail of the steps waiting for the adults to finish chatting and get ready to leave.

Going back to church

So last week my sweet girl invited me to church with her and my Grandma. I went to the church that Grandma has been going to the past few months and while the fellowship with the other members after the service was nice and the minister was very kind his sermon really didn't move me. I enjoyed the morning with my girl but went away feeling like I was still needing more. I didn't really feel at home. I also have an issue (and I'm sure it's with myself and something I should work on) with scripted sermons. I just leave wondering if there is someone in a big office somewhere else telling the minister what he's supposed to be talking about on Sunday morning then how do I know that he's really listening to God. How does that other person know what the congregation really needs to hear this week? Does the sermon on the schedule really relate to what's going on in that congregations area?

So tomorrow we are going to the church that I went to as a kid. I really think that sending Kim to the Christian school has been good for her and myself. I've been feeling for a while that I needed to get back to church and now with her wanting to go it's good for both of us. Maybe someday Larry will want to go with us. And if not atleast I've done what's best for Kim and given her the faith base that I feel is so important.

Is the weekend really over already

Saturday was a nice quiet day at home. I spent the day cleaning house and only left to grab the mail and stop at the store to get things for dinner. Most of the day was spent in our jammies. I love days like that. Then after Kim went to bed a friend invited me to join her and some others out for a few drinks. I had a nice visit. It was nice to get out even if it was just for a couple of hours.

Then this morning my sweet girl invited me to go to church with her and Grandma Whipps. She has been really enjoying Chapel time at school and learning about God and the Bible. She's spent the night a few times with my mom and then went to church with Grandma Whipps. She went last weekend with her and then wanted me to go to. So we got up and quickly got ready. It was a nice time spent with me sweet girl. I told her if she wanted to we could go again next week. The deal is she has to get up and get dressed without a fight and we can go, but I'm not going to fight with her about getting ready to go.

So tomorrow is Monday again and back to the weekly grind. Only 41 days till Christmas break. And the count down goes on.