Thank God!! It's Friday!

It's been a crazy week, but I thank God for all He's done in our lives! Our family has been so blessed! I could never begin to repay God for the all the good things in my life! That's not to say we haven't struggled at times, but you really have to struggle every now and again or you won't appreciate the blessings God sends your way!
Looking for some way to give back to Him, I began praying for God to use me! With a new pastor, new changes in our church, and new people, I was almost feeling like I was losing myself in it all!  We all want to feel like we belong somewhere, right?! I just wasn't sure where yet, even though this is the church I was married in over 16 years ago!
So, I found myself helping out cooking breakfast for the bus kids at my cousin Wendy's church (her hubby is a pastor), then I would leave there and go to our church just in time for Sunday School. I met lots of new people, enjoyed the fellowship with my beautiful, kind-hearted cousin, and really felt like I was doing something to please the Lord, but at the same time...I wanted to do something at our church!
My cousin's church elected some new youth leaders, and they moved in to the parsonage. For them this meant they had plenty of hands to help out for Sunday breakfasts, so I took this as a perfect opportunity to open myself up to do something at "home" so to speak.
My husband and I spoke to the Sunday School director and his wife and let them know that we would take a Sunday School class if one came available. We were willing and able provided the children were all potty trained. We taught for a year in the 2 year old class and well... we're so not ready to go back to diapers and pull ups!
Weeks went by! and then more weeks! I missed cooking at my cousin's church! I missed the kids! and of course... I miss my cousin!!! :)  I began praying a little harder every day "God use me for your service!" Of course, I was getting a bit discouraged! I think the devil was helping out with that, b/c I kept trying to search myself and see where I was messing up since God wasn't using me/us! I begin to pray that if things weren't right in my heart, then I needed God to help me change so that I may be worthy of doing service for His kingdom.

A few more weeks of praying and then...

One Sunday morning I'm pulled out of church by an usher! I was like...whaaaat is going on? He told me "You are needed in the Kindergarten class." I thought he was mistaken b/c my youngest is in first grade, but then it dawned on me that was my cousin's class. My cousin has two lil ones (10months and 2 yrs), so I figured it must have been one of her own she needed me for...nope...the next thing I know she is handing me a book 'n talking about my husband and I taking over the class! I was so excited!

As if I wasn't already excited enough...Monday, I was sent a text asking if I wanted to help out with Kid S.U.R.F. on Wednesday nights (children's church)! I was assured we'd be taking turns throughout the night, each having small parts of the lesson, so it wouldn't take a lot of prep or home time! And most all the helpers have a Sunday School class, so doing both is typically not a problem.

Now... call this a coincidence or not but come Friday, I receive a phone call...It was one of the elders in the church asking my husband and I to meet with him Saturday prior to outreach. We had a short conversation about what was in store, and Sunday morning... my husband and I were sitting in the pastor's office being prepped on our new role as outreach leaders!

I'm not sure how I feel right now... I am so excited but a tad bit overwhelmed! lol! I know God answers prayers, but...lol! He really did it this time! :)

Sunday was our 3rd week teaching our new kindergarten class! Wednesday was my 3rd night in Kid S.U.R.F.! Prior to church that night, my hubby and I attended our first director's meeting! And... this Saturday we will be doing our first church-wide outreach event! We're mostly looking toward the youth group showing up for this one this time, but we're going to push for more church involvement come next month! We love the youth for outreach! They are friendly, outgoing, and energetic! They "like to move it!, move it!" and face it... the older we get, the less get up and go we tend to have!

The downside to all of this...when you try to work for the Lord the devil tries to do everything he can to ruffle your feathers! Me and my crazy teen have knocked heads a few times this week...as have me and the hubby (over the teen)! So... I made an effort to pray a few extra times during the day...Not gonna let that devil get me down!! Just speaking His name-- JESUS!!! and... well... all the devil can do is flee! Love that wonderful name of Jesus!

Please say a quick prayer for us tomorrow as we will be kicking off at 10am tomorrow as we venture through the city putting door hangers on door knobs, leaving flyers on cars, and handing out tracts!

Blessings,

Sunday School

Today was our first day with our new Sunday school class. I was so excited! My daughter's teacher and family were gone for the weekend, so she decided to come in and help us out with our class! We had a great time! My husband's not in any of the pics, b/c he was snapping the pictures! I think he did a great job!

This Weeks Bible Point

Bible Point Craft Activity

I <3 these cuties! 

I was very thankful that for our first day we only had 4, but I do hope more will come!

Prayer Time

--- [//Beautiful//] ---

prayer requests (in order, front to back)

"Ayden's cough, Nana's back, & Paw Paw's back"

"Ma Maw J---'s leg"

"With God all things are possible!"

"my ear"

Remember: God Answers Prayers!!! 

Praise & Worship

---- [my favorite picture] -----

Crafts

Tyler showing off Elijah's alter

Playtime



Putting Together A Puzzle

Vroom!

This Noah built an alter, not an ark! :o)
I like to think he's smiling b/c he loves me!!!! lol! Noah's my cousin's lil boy! nnnn a tad too young for this class, but he did sooo good! I hope he comes back every Sunday! I am so proud of him!

Blessings,

Baby Blues...not talking hues

Today was a fun day. I had double duty today... double diaper duty that is! lol! Really... I was talking about homeschooling and baby-sitting, but the diaper thing came to mind.  My cousin needed a sitter for her darling two, today. Though the day was quite uneventful, it was definitely therapeutic!

You see, ever so often, one gets those baby blues. The feeling that comes on when your "babies" seem to think they are all grown up and don't necessarily think they need you as much as you know they do.

It's when you see your youngest inching ever so close to becoming Mr./Miss Independent you tear up a little. It happened with the other children, and you know it's inevitable! ...but the difference this time is that there is no one crawling across the floor to you, your not rocking anyone in that rocking chair, there will be no more little boo boos to kiss, no lil hand tugging at your shirt-tail, or silly as it might be... no one to hear your own special version of Goldilocks & The Three Bears!  um... btw i'm talking 'bout those bears who live in the south 'n trek through the swamp waiting for their Gumbo to cool! lol!

So, yep... that's what I'm going though. My youngest is 6. So far he is still cuddly, lovable, and enjoys being rocked (though he is physically much too big for rocking).... but... (sniff, boo hoo) the other day he yanked off his Thomas tank engine Bible cover that I so carefully & lovingly crafted for him and told me he didn't need it anymore.

I was flabbergasted... Thomas!!!... tossed on the floor! 

I mean, of course, I am ever so thankful it wasn't his Bible tossed into the floor, but I knew right then and there... that was some semblance of a metaphor for the innocence and wonder of his childhood... tossed away. He's growing up!!!! and (whine & stomp) I'm just not ready!!! What am I going to do?

And so... I said yes to keeping my cousin's 10month old daughter and 2 year old son. Never in my life did I have to deal with two kids in diapers at the same time.  I barely had to deal with bottles and sippy cups at the same time b/c my kids have some distance between  them (4 years between the oldest and middle  and 4 years between the middle and last).  I thought surely I'd be insane by the end of the day, but I wasn't. A wee bit tired, of course, but not miserable or insane!

So that didn't exactly cure my baby blues like everyone said it would. "Keep someone else's, you'll remember why you stopped at three!"... na' don't think so. I think I'd still want to have another BABY if I could. Key word there... BABY b/c It's not the baby thing that scares me!

What scares me is knowing that without a shadow of doubt that baby has to grow up and become a ... ahhh... oooooh... eeek!.... TEENAGER.... bahahahaha!

Yes! Yes! I know it's only a phase...but, that's when the job get's really hard! 'n that's when you really wonder... am I going to go totally insane?!! lol!

Of course there is something positive about it... your prayer life will increase exponentially when your kid hits the teen years! Cry out to Jesus... the words seem to have a whole new meaning, I'll tell ya!

Prayer changes things. I can definitely see a difference when I pray and when I don't... no doubt! A lot of it has more to do with me than it does my teenager, because most of the time I have to pray for God to keep my attitude in check when it comes to dealing with that boy! lol!

While other's are shelling out hundreds of dollars on professional therapy, I have vowed that I will get my therapy from the one we call Counselor...
I am so grateful--
I don't have to make an appointment!
I don't have to drive an hour away!
I don't have to wait in a stuffy room to take my turn!
God's always ready and wiling to listen!
...on my knees seeking HIS guidance, praying for strength HE can only give, and peace that passeth all understanding!

Now that's what I call Therapy!

Daughter of a King!

When the devil tries to make you feel like trailer park trash, proudly announce to that rascal... I am more than queen of this doublewide trailer; I am the daughter of a King! iLuv my Jesus!