Perseverance

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ~ Hebrews 12:1

Do you ever wonder about how you can go through a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the day or even the week?  We've had one of those weeks.... 

A week ago today we were in a wreck that totalled our van.  All are without injury, and blessed to have been so protected.  We went to Galveston for the weekend, and would like to have stayed longer.  Spent Monday trying to work and get insurance details ironed out.  Picked up my rental, which is way bigger than my little 4'11" body was meant to drive!!

But while I ride that coaster, I realize that the underlying peace I've found never fails.  We started up at Life Group again on Tuesday after a long break over the holidays.  It was amazing to be with everyone that night.  We'd missed our dear friends, and we met new ones.  While we were there, the Holy Spirit ministered to one of my new friends through me.  It was a great experience to have the right words in the right time for her, and to know that it wasn't really me.  I've not experienced that often, so it was a great feeling leaving there knowing I had helped in some way. 

Last night I went with my new friend to a women's bible study.  It was only the 2nd meeting, and I was so blessed by the entire event.  I saw an old friend, and hoped he would see the new me.  I met new friends, and was able to share some things about my past with them and bring it in to the light.  I love that, you know.  Bringing it in to the light takes the power of shame and darkness away from it.  Jesus is awesome that way.

So of course today was not so great.  At least, it had more challenges than the previous two days.  But as I came around towards the end of the day I realized something.  Or possibly I just made a choice.  I can take each of these things one at a time.  There is no reason to become overwhelmed by life, or the little and not so little things in life.  I am not in control of any of it anyway, so why spin my wheels over and over trying to stay in control? 

I have to laugh at myself when I think of these things.  In my past life, control was all I knew.  My life consisted of winning and losing everything based on what I could or could not control.  My family, job, money, entertainment...  I had such a need to control everything!  Eventually, though, it became obvious that the more I tried to control, the more out of control my life became. 

So today I trust.  I trust my Father to handle all the things, large and small.  I look to Him for guidance, and to clean up when I mess up.  But overall, I persevere.  I move forward, one step at a time.  The peace I've found is just not worth losing... 

We realized while in Galveston that for so many years we went there to dream about moving away and starting over.  Planning and searching for something that was just out of our reach.  We know now that what we longed for, we have found and it is so much bigger and better than anything we imagined!

Tomorrow is Friday, and we have our grandbabies for the weekend.  We have church and a family get together Saturday and then serving at church on Sunday...  we persevere, we run the race at a steady pace and we hope to throw off all the things that hinder us in the mean time. 

Living the Blessed Life,

~ Jessica
 

New Year's Eve Adventures

A lot has been said lately about this decade ending and a new one beginning.  I have seen many of my friends say what a bad decade it's been.  Discussions are going on around all the tragedies and dismay that resulted over the last 10 years.  It can be pretty depressing if you get caught up in all of it.

Personally, I don't see it this way at all.

I recall a country that went from being complacent and self centered to standing together as we mourned the loss of so many on 9/11.  Remember how the fireman and policeman were brought back up to the level of respect they deserved?  Or how strangers began to speak and we were reminded to stop and spend time with family and friends?  As tragic as that time was for our country, there were a lot of good things that came from that time as well.

I saw more monetary wealth than I imagined in my life at the beginning of the decade and by 2005, it was all gone.  For many reasons, but the result is I've found I am richer now in my life than I've ever been.    I've lost many "things" over the lasts 10 years, and I've seen heartache in that time.  But for me, I'm thankful for the experience of the decade and looking forward to a blessed new year.

Speaking of...  I read a blog recently that questioned Bishop TD Jakes motives for making the statement that 2010 will be a prosperous year.  The comments on that blog were attacking to say the least.  This blog was listed on a "christian" blog site.  I have to say here, because I can, that I was completely disappointed in the response to the article.  The article itself was only stating facts and questioning other's thoughts on it.  But the responses were not only judgemental and condeming, but made based on perceptions and none of them had any valid points.  I'm sad that those "christians" were so quick to judge and condemn.  In fact, I'm curious as to who determined that prosperous was only monetary?  And by the way, do we live in the world's economy or God's?  There was also discussion that the economy wasn't that bad anyway.  There was one person who stated that it only meant we had to cancel movie channels and boo hoo if we did.  I'm glad that person is blessed enough that they didn't have to give up more than their movie channels, but it's very naive to think that's all that others had to give up.  I've seen families that became homeless, people who lost homes, cars, jobs, and businesses because of this world's economy.  I don't know a lot about Bishop Jakes personally - but I do know that it's not my place to question his heart.  And I'm thankful for the expectation that this next year will be prosperous and for the blessings my Father has promised me as His child! 

OK...  I feel MUCH better now! 

What are your plans for tonight?  Please be safe!  We are hanging out with 3 grandbabies and two sons tonight.  :-)  Looks like we'll be going to an early movie and then dinner, and home for fun and games.  It's a great way to bring in a New Year and the new decade!  We really have no plans for tomorrow, which is funny becaue we usually have some kind of meal planned with the family.  This holiday we have spent a lot of time just hanging out with the grandbabies.  We play games, the Wii, watch movies, or just play with them.  It's been a nice and relaxing week.  Life is good.

Living the Blessed Life....

Jessica

Christmas Thoughts

As we are coming upon the end of the year, I have had many thoughts about the past year. I think about the fact that I started this year unsure of who I really was supposed to be and with many worries and doubts and fears beyond measure.

I'm ending this year comforted by my Father, with no fear, no doubts and complete confidence in who He created me to be! It has been a fantastic year, full of many unexpected blessings!

And for now, I am excited to be preparing for the holidays. The shopping is almost done, with just a few things left. Most of those things are gift cards so they will be easy to get. I've ordered a smoked turkey, so the hard part of the meal is all taken care of for us. We'll be meeting at my daughter's house for gifts and a meal on Christmas day. It will be the first time in several years that we all, including the twin neices I raised, will be together. I can't wait! I am so very excited to celebrate with my children!

This will be a busy week for me. I'm going to work in the office the next 3 days since I don't have my little Addi until school starts back up in January. Tomorrow night I have a birthday party for a friend of mine, a girl's night out! I can't wait, I've been wanting one of those for a while now. :-) Then Wed morning we are having the carpets downstairs cleaned. Then finally the official start of our celebrations!

Christmas Eve we will meet family and friends at Campo Verde, a great mexican restaurant that has a train that goes around the whole restaurant. It's a family tradition, so we look forward to that meal every year. Then that evening we will go to the candlelight service at First Baptist Hurst. We don't go to church there anymore, but that service is also a tradition that we greatly enjoy.

Christmas Day we will get Jake from his mom at noon, then the babies at 2pm. We'll be home for Santa presents with the babies, and then off to Carrie's that evening for our family Christmas. Then on the 26th we'll go to Kiowa to share time with my hubby's family. On the 31st we have a New Year's eve service we'll attend and then maybe take the kids to Dave & Buster's or Main Event. We've done that in the past and it was a lot of fun. We are looking forward to every day we have with the babies!

We're also thinking about taking them to ICE! in Grapevine. This time of year we spend so much of it with family and cherishing our blessings... seems like we could be doing this much more often over the year instead of waiting until the end, don't you think?

So I've got my to do list written, chores are done, house is mostly clean, and I'm drinking my sleepy time tea before bed. Good night my friends... blessings to all of you....

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe as if you have recieved it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:24