WOW....I mean really, WOW!!

Ok, so many of you know that I had applied for a visa to move to England. Well, September 6th that visa was declined by the British Consul. They say, when God closes one door He opens another. I had joined E-Harmony a while back but had never really done anything with it. On September 25th, God brought Bill Campbell in to my life....using E-Harmony.

I have never been a firm believer in on-line dating, but I have to tell you, God was in this meeting. Bill is an amazing man, he's a Godly man and genuinely kind. I look back to my life 3 months ago and I cannot imagine not having him. We are taking each day as it comes and we continue to pray constantly about our relationship. But I have to tell you, I am happier than I have ever been.

I never thought that God was all that good at romance, but I've changed my mind since meeting Bill :) I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God brought him in to my life. I'm amazed and giddily happy. So, if you know someone wonderful who is having a bit of trouble meeting the "right" person, please tell them about E-Harmony. Just tell them to sign up and pray...God will do the rest.

Thank you Father for blessing me with this wonderful man. And I just ask that You continue to be our center and keep us focused on You. Amen

Words.....

Do you ever wonder what affect your words have?? The little things we say each day and how they effect those around us. I personally don't think about my words all that often...I'm sort of a speak before she thinks type of person. My lips move faster than my brain can process....for those of you who know me, I'm sure that this is not a surprise ;o)

On Saturday, I said something to someone..... It was just a passing thought that popped in to my head and went straight to my lips. I never thought another thing about it. Later that day, I got a call from this person thanking me for my comment. I was floored! I honestly had to think back to what they were talking about. I had no idea that this little comment, these words that I had not even given credence to could make such a difference. But to this person, it was a big deal. To them, it touched them in a special way.

That scared me. It scared me to think that words are so powerful. In this instance, my words were used to bring joy to someone. But how often do I bring pain and not even realize it. How often do we say things in anger or frustration and, while we don't give it another thought, those words can harm. They can have a lasting effect that we don't even realize.

It's given me pause to say the least. I want to be more aware of what I say, more aware of how I treat others. I know from personal experience that words can last forever. Once something is said, it can't be undone.

UGH!!!

Do you ever have those days where nothing seems to go right??? I'm having one of those days. I should have known this morning when I went to make the coffee and spilled coffee grounds all over my kitchen. Do you know how hard it is to clean up coffee grounds??? Let's put it this way...I think it would be easier to move.

I then got in the car and realized I had forgotten my lunch, so I had to go back in to grab it. Got all the way back out to the car and realized I'd forgotten my computer.... Had to go back to get that. Got ALL THE WAY back to the car and realized that I had then forgotten my purse. At this point, I had to sit quietly in the car for a minute to PRAY! You see, my attitude had deteriorated quite a bit after 3 forgetful trips so I had to take a moment....a LONG moment ;o)

I get in to work, bang my car door on a pole in the parking garage (of course!!), get in the elevator and proceed to drop my lunch and watch as my apple rolls across the floor (NICE!).

I finally make it to my desk and I just sit for a minute (or 10), and relish the fact that after all that, I'm ready to face the day. I have an 8:00 AM meeting so as I prepare to go to the meeting I take one final sip of my coffee.....YUP!! down the blouse!

As I look back at today, I have one thing to say, "thank goodness it's over!!!"

Firsts and lasts.....

First memory: I think I was about 2 and I remember "helping" my daddy fix the car. I remember getting down and laying under the car. I just remember laying there beside him looking up at the underneath of our car. It's a good memory.

First Real Kiss: Anthony (I was 22)....apparently I was a late bloomer ;o)

First Concert: Anne Murray

First Love: Matt Ray

First Crush: Wayne Steagull

First thought in the morning: What am I going to wear???

First book you remember loving: Sense and Sensibility

First Pet: Otis....he was a beagle poodle mix that we had when I was born. He was my self professed protector.

First thing you think of when you hear vacation: No lap-top, no voicemail, no email....YEA!!!!!!

First Best Friend: Dana Johnson

Last time you dressed up: Last month....had a dinner event to go to. It was just cocktail attire, but it was fun all the same.

Last CD bought: Mercy Me "Almost There"

Last book you read: Jane Austen's "Persuasion"

Last time you cried: Yesterday....not sure why. Sometimes you just need to shed a few tears.

Last movie I saw: The Jane Austen Book Club....It was GREAT!!!

Last time told someone "I Love You": 2 hours ago....I'm a firm believer in not holding back...you never know if you'll get another chance to say it.

Last really funny thing you did: My heel caught in my trouser cuff this morning and I tripped...it was pretty funny ;o)

Last thing you watched on TV: Grey's Anatomy

Last Halloween Costume: Raggedy Anne

Last Concert: Indigo Girls

Be still and know.....

I love that song. I love that song because it always seemed so foreign to me. Be still and know. I'm not really one to ever "be still". We live in a fast paced world where stillness takes a backseat to life. When do we ever just get to sit, and just be still for a while. Sit and reflect. Sit and simply listen.....

It's easy to lose ones essence when all around you is go go go. It's so easy to lose sight of that which is truly important. That which means something. I tend to lose sight of my priorities when I go too fast. My attitude stinks and my faith begins to suffer. All this because I don't take the time to sit, and be still. To sit and know that God is God.

I came across a wonderful verse today. Exodus 14:14 says, "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." Praise God! He will fight all our battles, He will renew our hearts and souls....we simply need to sit back and accept His help. There in lies the rub....the accepting part. But honestly, don't you ever tire of trying soo hard to do it all on your own. I do! It's soo tiring trying to keep it all together...trying to MAKE things happen. When all we need to do is be still, and let God do His job. Give ourselves up to Him and let Him take the lead.

When that happens, our lives get back on track...our attitudes are once again what they should be....and our faith once again becomes strong. It's an ongoing process.....but Praise God! He's faithful even when we're not. Relax and let God....

I'm apparently IT.....

Here are the rules:

(1) Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.

(2) People who are tagged need to write a post on their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules.

(3) At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.

(4) Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

I've been tagged so here goes:

1) I am thoroughly obsessed with the BBC show Torchwood... I LOVE LOVE LOVE this show. Is it cheesy?? YES! But that's what makes it all soooo much fun. And I have to say, that Captain Jack really melts my butter ;o)

2) I really throw the southern drawl on thick when I want something from someone over the phone. My co-workers have informed me of this. Apparently I become Holly Hayseed anytime I'm asking for something via telephone. Sometimes I really hate the whole open cube layout....nothing gets by anyone ;o)

3) I screen calls. Anyone who knows me knows that I do this. I will always return the call, but sometimes you catch me in the midst of a really good show and I cannot bring myself to answer the phone. Yes I have Tivo, but I talk on the phone all day long....sometimes a little mindless entertainment helps re-charge my batteries.

4) I speed....A LOT! I know that there is a speed limit, but it is simply a suggestion in my opinion. I HATE to go slow. When driving, you will most always find me leading the pack in the fast lane...I find it exhilarating to be the one that everyone else follows. I'm sure that there is some psychological opinion as to why I do this. My guess is that it's not really something I want to delve in to deeply. I like to go fast, let's leave it at that ;o)

5) I count....EVERYTHING! I count my steps, I count signs, I count everything. OCD some may say, NAH! I like to say thorough.

6) I HATE to do dishes. I buy disposable cups, silverware, pans, plates, serving utinsils...everything! I REALLY dislike dishes. And it doesn't help that I have no dishwasher in my apartment. I'm IT!!

7) I'm a crackshot. My daddy taught all of us how to handle a gun...and I still enjoy shooting. I've shot skeet a time or two, but I prefer pistols. My favorite was a little 22 automatic that my dad had. It would fire all 9 bullets at once if you continued to hold the trigger down. No need to cock it...it was the perfect "girl" gun.

8) I LOVE to cook..... Planning an entire menu from beginning to end. For me, cooking is a way to relax. Most people get a bit stressed when they entertain. Not me, I love it!! And the more people I have to cook for, the happier it makes me.

I've tagged Rachel, Stephanie, Ben, and Deidre

My name is R-E-G-I-N-A!!!!

Last weekend I made a trip to Ikea. I love Ikea...it's fun just to walk around and imagine all the potential that surrounds you. I personally LOVE to put all that stuff together...I think I get that from my daddy. Growing up he made building things an event...that's always sort of stuck with me ;o)

Anywho, back to Ikea. While I was there in Saturday I had to return something so I went to the Customer Service Desk. They usually give out numbers but were out, so they were taking names instead. Now I have a fairly simple name...Regina. I don't personally think of it as hard to pronounce. And you can clearly see that my name begins with an R...not a V!!

As my turn comes due, over the Store loud speaker I hear this...."VIRGIN!! You're next...VIRGIN!! Please come to the Customer Service Desk!!!" I immediately know that they have mistaken R-E-G-I-N-A for V-I-R-G-I-N. To top it all off, when I get up to the Customer Service Desk, the gentlemen at the desk says, "are you V-A-G-I-N-A??" I said, "NO, my name is Regina...that's R-E-G-I-N-A with an R!!".....

Next time, I'll just stick with Rose....I mean surely they can't screw that one up ;o)

Bloom where you are planted

Bloom where you are planted...that's been my conviction of the day. The honest truth is, I haven't been blooming lately...I've given up and decided that I want to be somewhere else.

That's a terrible thing...I expect God to pick up and bless me with something new, when here I am having a bad attitude and expecting to be rewarded.

Tonight I was flipping channels on cable and I came across "Facing the Giants" of all shows. And I knew that this was God's way of speaking to me. He had a lesson that he wanted me to learn tonight...and I'm listening. Don't give up, and BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED!!!

Right now, I'm planted in Chicago...thus I must make the most of it. If I cannot bloom and flourish here, what makes me think that a new bit of scenery will change anything. It's not about my surroundings, it's about my heart. And I've got to make sure that my heart is for the Lord, all the rest will come in God's due time.

Footprints

"It was then that I carried you".......

Footprints

One night a man had a dream.

He dreamed he was walking along the beach

with the LORD.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.

For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the

sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he
looked back at the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times along the path of his life

there was only one set of footprints.

He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest

and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the
LORD about it:

"LORD, you said that once I decided to

follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But

I have noticed that during the most troublesome

times in my life, there is only one set of footprints.

I don't understand why when I needed you most you

would leave me."

"The LORD replied:

"My son, my precious child, I love you and I would never

leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when

you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

Written by Mary Stevenson

Why I hate newspapers....

Ok, I'm as polite as the next person, but I draw the line if you have something on your face. I refuse to let anyone in my vicinity walk around looking like a goon because I was too "polite" to tell them they had broccoli in their teeth or a big black smudge on their face.

Today, I started my morning off reading the paper...I don't always read the paper, I usually have no extra time in the morning. But today, I had a few extra minutes to grab a paper and read it with my morning coffee. Apparently while reading said newspaper my fingers were coated in that lovely black ink that all newspapers leave behind.

At noon today...NOON!!!! I was talking to a friend down the hall from my office and she said, "Oh Regina, did you know you have a large black mark on your nose?" Did I know I had a large black mark on my nose??...NO, I did not know that. Do I know when I got said black mark on my nose??...YES! I got said mark at 7:00 AM this morning....FIVE HOURS before my nice friend brought it to my attention!!

So the moral of this story, PLEASE don't be polite....TELL a sister if she's got something ON her face, IN her teeth, or even IN her nose...she'll thank you later...I Promise!!

Summer-itus and Uncertainties

WOW! Do you ever look back at certain points in your life and say to yourself, "is this it?" "Is this all I'm ever going to do, all I'm ever going to be?" That's where I am right now. I've reached a wall in my career.... basically, I've decided that this is NOT the career that I want. This is not the job that I want to be doing for the rest of my life. BUT, now what do I do??

There in lies the ultimate question. I'm unsettled, I'm uncertain of my future, and I'm done. But again, what do I do now?? And the answer is, PRAY!!!.... PRAY A LOT!!! For the past year I've felt as if God was moving, leading me toward something. I've felt Him working and I've known that a big change was coming, but I wasn't exactly sure what that change would be. I'm still not certain of the change, but I do know this....I've got some large decisions to make.

First and foremost, what do I want to do?? If I don't want to do what I'm doing, what is it that truly strikes my fancy, floats my boat, makes me kick my heels together in glee?? And right now, I honestly don't know the answer to that question. I'm praying and asking God to lead me to it. Because I've got to tell you, I'm completely at a loss.

And secondly, where do I want to be?? And by this, I mean do I really want to stay in Chicago?? I've made a life for myself here, but I don't think this is really where I want to BE to STAY.... Where I want to spend the rest of my life. So then, where do I want to BE?? Where would I be most happy and settled?? That's another question for God. I have a few ideas, but they all seem so far fetched. I'm simply praying and asking God for His direction, for His peace, for His strength to continue the search. I'm open to whatever he holds in store for me. I'm willing to go where He leads me, I'm just in need of His direction.

If possible, I'd prefer the whole lightening bolt in the sky approach, but I'll settle for anything.

So please pray for me. Please pray that God continues to work and continues to direct my life. And please pray that I will have the strength to follow where He leads.

True Love

While in Wigan a few weeks back, I was fortunate enough to attend a wedding. At this wedding, they read a beautiful poem that I would like to share. We're not exactly sure who wrote said poem, but that doesn't really matter...it's the words that count.

-- True Love --

True love is a precious flame
That burns perpetually
And none can dim its special glow
Or change its density

True love speaks in tender tones
And hearts with gentle ear
True love gives with open heart
And true love conquers fear.

True love makes no harsh demands
It neither rules nor binds
And true love holds with gentle hands
The heart that it entwines.

Author Unknown


Oh that we would all be so fortunate to find that one "true love" some day.

Distance

Have you ever felt shy with God?? You get on your knees to pray and it crosses your mind, "I wonder what He's going to say, what He's going to do when I tell Him this?"

Or your'e simply too shy to even get on your knees with Him in the first place. You feel as if you can't tell Him something for fear that He won't answer you.... or for fear that He will. Sometimes it seems easier to hold on to something so that you don't have to trust the Lord with it. You feel that if you're holding on to it, you don't have to wonder what God is going to say or do.

You've got it all wrapped up nice and tight....and it begins to FESTER. This thing you're holding on to begins to sour the rest of your relationship with God. By not giving Him this ONE thing, you've infected the rest of your spiritual walk. And it begins to grow.... if you're not careful, you soon have a malignancy that is slowly killing off the rest of your faith.

I know, because this has been my recent struggle. I've been shy of going to the Lord on my own behalf. I'm great when praying for others, and I truly trust that the Lord will be there. But when praying for myself, I've been empty.

And I can feel this lack of communication, it affects the whole rest of my walk. I can feel my attitude slipping, my heart gets a tiny bit harder.... And it's all just little things that could be attributed to having a bad day or stress. But the truth of the matter is that this is being caused because I'm not communing with God, I'm not talking to Him. I've closed our line of communication and by doing so, I've let fear and doubt take over. And we all know that these are NOT from God.

So I'm trying, I'm trying to talk to the Lord. It's still difficult, but slowly and surely I know that I will make my way back to that closeness I felt just a short time ago.

The crazy part is, He's there waiting for me, urging me to come to Him and give Him this burden that I carry. I know this!!.... it's just difficult sometimes to trust.

Just a few pics of the trip

This was Bolton Abbey. We went here on our second day in England, it was cold, wet and rainy and I LOVED it!! It just made for a truly authentic English experience.

New friends

Have you ever had just an instant connection with a group of people?? You walk in and you realize that you're home, that you belong.

That's how I felt while in Wigan these past 2 weeks. I've never met such a wonderfully welcoming group of people..... they were and are just tremendously loving and kind. And talk about funny, I've not laughed so much in ages.... it was a GREAT workout. In fact, I lost 4 pounds while over there....all of it I attribute to a certain Webster.

It's a true testament to the power of Christ's love and how it connects us. No matter where you go, as long as you are in the presence of Christians, you are home.

Thank God for unanswered prayers

To steal a line from Garth Brooks, "thank God for unanswered prayers". I just recently joined a womens prayer group, and we are now currently in the midst of the Beth Moore study, "A Heart Like His". This study delves in depth in to the story of David. Now I personally love David, I've always felt a sort of kinship with him as he's so "human". Basically, he made a LOT of mistakes. And yet, the Lord LOVED David.... I mean, he was a man "after God's own heart". How amazing is that!?! David was rash, he was impulsive, but he was also incredibly repentant. His intentions were right, simply misguided.

This is exactly how I feel. You know how God tells us to be sly as serpants and gentle as doves....well I've got the sly thing down, but I'm about as gentle as a Mac Truck. It's just not my nature to sit back and watch....I'm a doer. But Christ tells us to rise above our own nature and take on His. No matter what "I" would do, I have to do what Christ would do. ......and how humbling to know that boy do I have a long way to go.

Back to unanswered prayers. This thing that I have been praying for, this thing that has taken up so much of my time. I've released it. It's not about me, it's not about IT, it's about God, and my relationship with Him. When God says no or doesn't answer a prayer like we wanted, he ALWAYS has something better in mind....ALWAYS! "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong". ......I am weak, BUT....He is strong...... Nuff said

Another little tidbit from Beth Moore...... During the study last night, I came accross something quite profound...or at least I found it to be so. In her studyguide, Beth talks about having "faith in faith" rather than having "faith in the living God". Now I don't know about you, but that rocked me. Do you know how often I put my faith in faith!! Sometimes, I get so caught up in the process, that I forget WHO it is that I should truly be focusing on. What good is faith if you aren't trusting in God. How far are you going to get on an empty tank?? You get caught up in sacrifice, rather than obedience.

WOW! Where have I been?? Why am I only now beginning to work at my relationship with Him?? I mean, HELLO, I grew up in a Christian home, went to a Christian College....... Again, where have I been???

It's been an interesting week to say the least, but I'm so glad that Christ is working. "How loving and patient He must be......cause He's still working on me" ....... AMEN!

Speed bump ahead

You know, I was forewarned that when you are truly reaching that closeness with the lord and you really feel like your relationship has finally reached the pinnacle......BOOM! That's when the devil strikes.

Sure enough, his attacks have begun. They started on Saturday, just a general sense of ennui, and the feeling grew yesterday, and was fairly full blown today. It's just a sense of feeling like God has forgotten me a bit.

I've been praying about something in particular for at least the past month, possibly more. I have been devoting myself in prayer and fasting and I've waited for an answer from the Lord, and still nothing. No answer, no general sense of any kind. And I know that God's timing is never what ours is, but I've been faithful to this and I was hoping that He would see me through.

I know that He will. My head knows that He is still there, but my heart is feeling a wee bit left behind. And my attitude has gotten a bit stinky because of how I am feeling. That is OF COURSE straight from the devil. But, in spite of my feelings, I still know that He will answer me, I just need to WAIT!!

That is of course the ONE thing I don't want to do. I don't like to WAIT. I'm all about instant gratification. The Lord knows this, which is of course why I am being directed to wait. He's working on me. This is the reason that I NEVER pray for patience....He gives it to me.

So while I am not at a spiritual high at the moment, I do know that God is here. He's listening, and no matter how I feel, I know that He has not forgotten me. He loves me and He will answer me in His time, not mine.

So pray for me, particularly for my attitiude. And whatever you do, please don't pray for patience......

Movin and shakin

How great is our God! Lately, Christ has been more alive to me then ever before. I finally feel as if I have reached the pinnacle and found the intimate relationship that I have always been searching for. To KNOW that God is here, to KNOW that He loves me, to KNOW that I am saved and that I AM going to heaven. WOW!

I just hate that it has taken me this long to find this relationship.......To find this peace that I have longed for.

Growth

Wow, isn't it amazing when you can actually feel God working. Lately, I have actually felt Him pricking my heart and molding me. I've been praying a lot lately, and have specifically asked Him to help me work on certain things. Boy has He answered my prayer. Now every time I turn around, I'm feeling convicted and I know it's directly from Him.

And while growth is never truly an enjoyable process, I love this feeling of being one with Him. Of knowing that He is there, that He cares and is active in my life.

I continue to pray that He gives me the strength to glorify Him and accept His direction. I constantly struggle with allowing Him to stay in control...... I tend to get cold feet and try to take the reigns. But as past experience has taught me, that's not such a great idea.


6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6

16Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

5How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, In whose heart are the highways to Zion! Psalm 84:5

1God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

7On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.
Psalm 62:7

10"For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My loving kindness will not be removed from you, And My covenant of peace will not be shaken," Says the LORD who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10

A few of my favorite verses.....

I just wanted to share a few of my favorite verses. It has only been in the last year that I have truly begun to go to the scripture to find solace. I used to long for the desire to dealve in to God's word, but there always seemed to be something more interesting to read. This list is constantly changing, but these are the ones that are on my heart right now:

7"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. 8He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8

20"Do men make their own gods? Yes, but they are not gods!" 21"Therefore I will teach them—this time I will teach them my power and might. Then they will know that my name is the LORD." Jeremiah 16:20-21

30"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the LORD shall be praised." Proverbs 31:30

28"And we know that all things work together for good for those that love God, and have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

31"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

7 "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous." Psalm 19:7-9

26"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Galatians 3:26-29

11"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

God's Blueprint

Do you ever have those introspective days where you look back over the path your life has taken and you wonder.....What was God's plan, His blueprint if you will????

I look back at my path so far, and it fascinates me how God has worked in my life. He has used the chaos to shape and mold me. When in the midst of a trial, it's so easy to blame Him for your circumstance or to lose faith that He even cares or is aware of your situation. But I'm here to tell you, He DOES know, and He DOES care, and He will NEVER leave you alone to suffer. His plan is SOOO much bigger than our tiny minds can fathom.

Over the past five years, my path has taken me in directions I never would have imagined, most of them not to my particular fancy. But in spite of the difficulties, God was there all the time using each experience to make me a better child of His.

I had to die to myself......and I'll tell you, it's not a fun process. He literally had to bring me to my knees before I would obey Him and give myself fully to Him. But once I gave up the control that I had been fighting so hard for, I was filled with the most amazing peace. I had been fighting Him, afraid that He would make a mistake, while all the time I was the one making the mistakes.

He has promised to never forsake us. "6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6


That promise is all I need.......

The Ides of March

Today is one of those days prime for reminiscence. This, the Ides of March, is the 3rd anniversary of having lost my daddy. I miss him everyday, but as the years go by and the ache begins to dull, I start to pinpoint those little things that I miss the most.

I miss his laugh....he had one of those chuckles that pulled you in and made you want to laugh too.

I miss his hands....he had a workers hands, rough and calloused, but his touch was always gentle.

I miss his wisdom....anyone who knew Tom Rose knew what a wonderful fount of wisdom he was. He always gave the most wonderful advice without seeming to direct you. He would simply give you his opinion and thoughts on any given situation and then let you make your decision.

I miss his hugs....he could squeeze you like no one else.

I miss his scent....daddy always smelled like outdoors and aftershave.


While I miss him, I know that he is safe in the arms of the angels and that I will one day get to see him again. Thank you God for that promise, thank you God for eternal life, thank you God for sending your Son to die on the cross so that I might live.

Thank you........

A new life

Do you remember the day you were baptized?? I do, I was 14 years old, and it was at the South Texas Youth Conference in San Antonio, Texas. I had that all important moment when I realized if I died that day, I would not go to heaven. That was the instant I knew I wanted to be baptized. Now you might find that odd for someone who grew up in the Church, baptism is usually the natural progression. But you see, I wanted this, the biggest decision I would ever make, to be my own. My mother had begun to despair of me ever becoming a Christian. She had resorted to making me study the Bible, and baptism in particular.

But it wasn't that I did not know what baptism was or what it meant. It was simply that I would not be pushed in to making a decision that I was not ready to make. I took my eternal life very seriously, and I wanted to do it for the right reasons, not simply to make someone else happy. I cannot imagine what would have happened if I hadn't had that "come to Jesus" moment.

This morning I had the privilege to witness two women be baptized. These women had been brought up in the Church, but had fallen away and both had only recently come back to Him. They both talked about how they had always meant to be baptized, but had just never seemed to get around to it. Wow! How easily that could have been me.

It has been a while since I have viewed a baptism. I'd forgotten what a beautiful thing it is when someone dies to themselves and decides to live for Him. This morning it was a joyous occasion, one chock full of clapping, praising and joyful tears. It gave me just a minute glimpse of what heaven might be like....and I have to tell you, it was AWESOME!!

Faith

Have you ever wondered what faith is??? I was recently reading Hebrews 11, and if you've ever read that before you know that it talks a LOT about faith. The definition given in Hebrews 11:1 is, "faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

How beautiful and simple an explanation. "By faith we understand that the universe was formed by God's own hand."

It tells of what Enoch did by faith, Issac, Abraham, Abel, Noah, Jacob, Moses and so on. The list is far too long to recite here. But the point is, all of these individuals went out, in faith, and did what God told them; all the while knowing that they may not receive their reward while on earth. In fact, Hebrews 11:39-40 says, " 39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect."

Many died for their faith. That's an incredibly humbling prospect for me. I LOVE the Lord with all my heart and soul, but to die for my faith..... I pray that this earthly life has no such hold on me.

"For our God is an ALL consuming fire"

Sunshine on a cloudy day.....

That is one of my favorite things. Watching as the sun comes out from behind the clouds, seeing the whole perspective change as the light hits the earth. It's like a breath of fresh air when that warmth hits your face.

I think that is what God's love feels like...... It's this incredible warmth that envelopes you and penetrates to your very core. It lights you up from within.

God is good....isn't He!!

This is the day that the Lord has made!

I woke up this morning literally singing that song. I think it may have something to do with the fact that Spring is just around the corner....and I could not be happier. The sun is actually shining today and teasing us with the promise of future warmth. By looking outside, you would never suspect that it is only 8 degrees.

I love that each season is distinct. As one season turns to another, I love to watch the earth awaken to the charm. Watching as Winter turns in to Spring is one of my favorite transformations. It puts me in mind of being Saved. We start out as a cold dead thing, grey of soul and without life, and then Christ comes along and fills us with Eternal life. Watching that process happen is as distinct in our lives as it is to the earth's change. How awesome is our God!

Prayer

Isn't God good! This morning as I was pulling out of the driveway and dreading the 75 ft drive down an un-plowed alley, I started praying...HARD. You see, there is about 2 ft of drifted snow in my alley and I drive a front wheel drive vehicle, not 4 wheel drive. From past experience, I know that this short little 75ft jaunt can be QUITE treacherous when snow is involved. I've gotten quite good at the front wheel "Rock". That's where you get stuck, and then proceed to "rock" yourself back and forth by switching from "drive" to "reverse" quite quickly.

Needless to say, I was a wee bit apprehensive as I got in to my car this morning to start that seemingly endless journey down the alley. Before I began, I stopped and said a heartfelt prayer to the Lord asking Him to bless my morning and to PLEASE let me get out without getting stuck. As He so often does, He answered immediately. I backed right out and then pulled forward in to the grooves in the snow and went on my merry way with no issues whatsoever. I was overjoyed and thanked Him profusely. How blessed we are as Christians to have a Heavenly Father to watch over us and to be there for us always.

I no longer have an earthly father, he passed away 3 years ago. And it was one of the hardest things I have ever been through. But in losing my daddy, I had to learn to depend on God in a way that I never had before. That loss brought me to a truly intimate relationship with my Heavenly Father. I'm reminded of Romans 8:28 which says, "And we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose."

SNOW

You know, I moved to Chicago because I really got a kick out of the snow. Growing up in Texas, I never really saw snow that stuck. Our version of snow was more the flakes without the accumulation. Now that I live in Chicago, I've gotten pretty up close and personal with SNOW. And today, I actually found out what a snow drift was. I found out.....THE HARD WAY. It just took walking out my door and off what I thought was the last step...only to find out that it was actually the 3rd form the last step. I sunk into a nice little snow drift up to my knees. And of course I had on my short snow boots. But you know, all I could do was giggle. I thought of what I must look like standing there buried up to my knees laughing at myself. And it only made me laugh all the harder. And then....I lost my balance. And yes......I fell flat on my rump in about a foot of drifted snow. And that caused me to laugh all the more. So, despite an inauspicious beginning, my day actually turned out quite okay.