Saturday, February 18, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Thank goodness it's Monday!
(*This post was supposed to go out yesterday but I didn't get it finished. Had to work on my thankfulness list a little more. Conviction is an interesting animal!)
I know, weird. No one looks forward to Monday. We want the long weekends, the Monday holidays, the extra time off, right? Well, I guess that all depends on how your weekends have been going! We've had a couple of, let's just say, complicated ones. You know, the kind of curve ball, slap in your face, that come out of no where, kind ranging from terrifying, to frustrating, to stressful, and just about every other emotion you can think of. And, yes, we're all ok. Mostly. And there is a point to this post, not just a long, drawn out whine.
This past weekend we had another emergency. This time it was me. I managed to get my hand in just the right place to be banged between the handle of a metal cart and the door going into the warehouse at work. After another employee got ice for me, and I started breathing again, and talked to my boss, I called my husband to tell him I needed him to come take me to get my hand x-rayed. This story just gets more complicated from here on so I'll just get to the point. But first, have you ever thought about all the things that can't be done, or are really hard to do with one hand? So, if you're going to break your hand, here are a few things you should think about before hand: (Hahaha! Pun sort of intended.)
LESSON ONE: Buy bigger jeans or lose weight.
My first clue of just what a pain (silly puns) this was going to be was while I was waiting on my hubby to pick me up and take me to the ER. I had to go to the bathroom. Hmm. Jeans. I figured unbuttoning wouldn't be too difficult. But buttoning? Joy. The good news here is that it was very late in the day. Only women will understand this. The jeans were stretched out so easier to button.
LESSON TWO: If you're going to have an accident at work, have it after 8am and before 5pm and not on a Friday.
The insurance office that handles approval for workman's comp treatment closed at 5. After 15 minutes worth of questions on the phone with the after hours insurance office while standing at the window of the urgent care facility that was supposed to close in 5 minutes, I finally asked if my husband could answer the rest of the questions and let them go ahead and x-ray my hand. The guy on the phone says, "Oh, I'm sorry, I can't give approval for treatment. That office closes at 5pm." At that point my husband said, forget it. I'll pay for it and I just handed him the phone. For the next hour, my poor hubby had 2 cell phones going at one time. My boss in one ear and insurance dude that couldn't give approval for treatment still asking questions in the other. (Did I mention he's a saint? My hubby. Not the insurance dude. See previous post: http://matildyjanedesigns.blogspot.com/2012/01/married-to-saint.html)
Fast forward to Monday. At 4:00pm, on Monday, after NUMEROUS phone calls, 3 days after I've been told to see a specialist, workman's comp finally approved my claim.
LESSON THREE: If you're going to break your hand at work, you should get your laundry and housework caught up ahead of time.
This goes back to the things you can't do with one hand. I'm re-learning how to type. But some things are just meant to be done with two hands. Like washing dishes. Sweeping the floor. Folding clothes. Not to mention the other basic things of just getting presentable to walk out your door. Ever tried taking a shower while keeping one hand dry? Or holding a blow dryer and a brush in the same hand? Not to mention putting on deodorant. Shaving your underarms. Putting on socks. Putting on a bra. (My apologies to any male species reading this. But, really, it isn't like you don't know about them.) And the list goes on.
LESSON FOUR: If you're going to have an emergency that disrupts your entire family, your life, your work, your schedule, and generally just stresses everyone out, don't do it on the day before your husband's birthday. Yep. Saturday was his birthday. No further comment here. Except, I did mention that I'm married to a saint, right?
LESSON FIVE: And this is the most important one. IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS.
Ugh. Now there's a wake up call for ya. Still working on that one. So, here are a few of the things I've found to be thankful for so far.
1. I won't be using as much gas in my car. I really dislike pumping gas in the cold. Which means my sweet hubby usually ends up doing it. Usually at 9pm when I remember I need it for the next morning. So I guess this should be a thankful point for him, right? Hahaha!
2. Since I can't go to work, I don't have to put makeup on and fix my hair every day. Which is pretty awesome since it takes me twice as long to do! lol
3. It's my right hand. I'm left handed. That means I can still sign the debit card receipts. (LOL) But more importantly, I can still feed myself, and do most everything else that only requires one hand.
4. It isn't my wrist, which would have been worse and more painful.
5. God has a sense of humor. I wanted some time off. Not the way I wanted it. But I got what I wanted - sort of. (This would fall under the category of being careful what you ask for.) Hey, I might even get those 'new kits coming soon' actually done and ready to sell!
6. I have a great boss who never mentioned how much work we had left to do and was eager to do whatever I needed to take care of me. AND had prayer for me at her church Sunday. And is covering all my accounts this week. What a blessing! (Did I mention that I work for Hallmark Cards and it's Valentine's week?)
7. The pain since Saturday has been minimal. Especially in comparison to Friday night. As long as I'm a good girl and don't bump it, move it, or try to pick something up that I shouldn't, I can tolerate the pain with just ibuprofen. Which is a really good thing for someone with my past and who gets sick from most pain meds.
8. I have an amazing extended family who always step up to help when needed. For this I am extremely grateful, especially in the world we live in where so many don't have this.
9. I can get caught up on my reading. I'm determined to read through the bible this year. I've tried several years before and just never made it. I was already getting frustrated that I was behind. Well, now I have time to catch up. (See related OLW post here: http://matildyjanedesigns.blogspot.com/2012/01/one-little-word.html)
10. I'm thankful that I have a new opportunity to learn some humility. I HATE to depend on other people. This will be an interesting test in learning to ask for and accept help. And in learning to be thankful under all circumstances, even when I don't want to.
So my verse(s) on the mirror now will be,
"We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
I Thessalonians 5:14-18 NASB (emphasis added)
God's will.
To be thankful.
In everything.
Rejoicing always.
I have much work to do.
Blessings,
Renea
I know, weird. No one looks forward to Monday. We want the long weekends, the Monday holidays, the extra time off, right? Well, I guess that all depends on how your weekends have been going! We've had a couple of, let's just say, complicated ones. You know, the kind of curve ball, slap in your face, that come out of no where, kind ranging from terrifying, to frustrating, to stressful, and just about every other emotion you can think of. And, yes, we're all ok. Mostly. And there is a point to this post, not just a long, drawn out whine.
This past weekend we had another emergency. This time it was me. I managed to get my hand in just the right place to be banged between the handle of a metal cart and the door going into the warehouse at work. After another employee got ice for me, and I started breathing again, and talked to my boss, I called my husband to tell him I needed him to come take me to get my hand x-rayed. This story just gets more complicated from here on so I'll just get to the point. But first, have you ever thought about all the things that can't be done, or are really hard to do with one hand? So, if you're going to break your hand, here are a few things you should think about before hand: (Hahaha! Pun sort of intended.)
LESSON ONE: Buy bigger jeans or lose weight.
My first clue of just what a pain (silly puns) this was going to be was while I was waiting on my hubby to pick me up and take me to the ER. I had to go to the bathroom. Hmm. Jeans. I figured unbuttoning wouldn't be too difficult. But buttoning? Joy. The good news here is that it was very late in the day. Only women will understand this. The jeans were stretched out so easier to button.
LESSON TWO: If you're going to have an accident at work, have it after 8am and before 5pm and not on a Friday.
The insurance office that handles approval for workman's comp treatment closed at 5. After 15 minutes worth of questions on the phone with the after hours insurance office while standing at the window of the urgent care facility that was supposed to close in 5 minutes, I finally asked if my husband could answer the rest of the questions and let them go ahead and x-ray my hand. The guy on the phone says, "Oh, I'm sorry, I can't give approval for treatment. That office closes at 5pm." At that point my husband said, forget it. I'll pay for it and I just handed him the phone. For the next hour, my poor hubby had 2 cell phones going at one time. My boss in one ear and insurance dude that couldn't give approval for treatment still asking questions in the other. (Did I mention he's a saint? My hubby. Not the insurance dude. See previous post: http://matildyjanedesigns.blogspot.com/2012/01/married-to-saint.html)
Fast forward to Monday. At 4:00pm, on Monday, after NUMEROUS phone calls, 3 days after I've been told to see a specialist, workman's comp finally approved my claim.
LESSON THREE: If you're going to break your hand at work, you should get your laundry and housework caught up ahead of time.
This goes back to the things you can't do with one hand. I'm re-learning how to type. But some things are just meant to be done with two hands. Like washing dishes. Sweeping the floor. Folding clothes. Not to mention the other basic things of just getting presentable to walk out your door. Ever tried taking a shower while keeping one hand dry? Or holding a blow dryer and a brush in the same hand? Not to mention putting on deodorant. Shaving your underarms. Putting on socks. Putting on a bra. (My apologies to any male species reading this. But, really, it isn't like you don't know about them.) And the list goes on.
LESSON FOUR: If you're going to have an emergency that disrupts your entire family, your life, your work, your schedule, and generally just stresses everyone out, don't do it on the day before your husband's birthday. Yep. Saturday was his birthday. No further comment here. Except, I did mention that I'm married to a saint, right?
LESSON FIVE: And this is the most important one. IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS.
Ugh. Now there's a wake up call for ya. Still working on that one. So, here are a few of the things I've found to be thankful for so far.
1. I won't be using as much gas in my car. I really dislike pumping gas in the cold. Which means my sweet hubby usually ends up doing it. Usually at 9pm when I remember I need it for the next morning. So I guess this should be a thankful point for him, right? Hahaha!
2. Since I can't go to work, I don't have to put makeup on and fix my hair every day. Which is pretty awesome since it takes me twice as long to do! lol
3. It's my right hand. I'm left handed. That means I can still sign the debit card receipts. (LOL) But more importantly, I can still feed myself, and do most everything else that only requires one hand.
6. I have a great boss who never mentioned how much work we had left to do and was eager to do whatever I needed to take care of me. AND had prayer for me at her church Sunday. And is covering all my accounts this week. What a blessing! (Did I mention that I work for Hallmark Cards and it's Valentine's week?)
7. The pain since Saturday has been minimal. Especially in comparison to Friday night. As long as I'm a good girl and don't bump it, move it, or try to pick something up that I shouldn't, I can tolerate the pain with just ibuprofen. Which is a really good thing for someone with my past and who gets sick from most pain meds.
8. I have an amazing extended family who always step up to help when needed. For this I am extremely grateful, especially in the world we live in where so many don't have this.
9. I can get caught up on my reading. I'm determined to read through the bible this year. I've tried several years before and just never made it. I was already getting frustrated that I was behind. Well, now I have time to catch up. (See related OLW post here: http://matildyjanedesigns.blogspot.com/2012/01/one-little-word.html)
10. I'm thankful that I have a new opportunity to learn some humility. I HATE to depend on other people. This will be an interesting test in learning to ask for and accept help. And in learning to be thankful under all circumstances, even when I don't want to.
So my verse(s) on the mirror now will be,
"We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
I Thessalonians 5:14-18 NASB (emphasis added)
God's will.
To be thankful.
In everything.
Rejoicing always.
I have much work to do.
Blessings,
Renea
Monday, February 13, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Married to a saint . . .
No, not a football player. But a saint, nonetheless. Anyone who knows me already knows that he is a saint. He's been married to me for 22 years. He'd have to be a saint! lol! And anyone who knows him already knows it, too. He's just a great guy, my sweet hubby. Patient. Kind. Loving. Tolerant.
Well, anyway, this particular post is regarding his latest incredible act of tolerance. I'm a scrapbooker. If you are a scrapbooker, you already know what that means. I also sew, teach scrapbook classes, sell scrapbook things, and do custom orders. Needless to say, I have stuff. Lots of stuff. It's everywhere. I even have my own room for my stuff. I've had my own room for a while. But I've never managed to get all my stuff collected into one room. There's some in a closet in our bedroom. There's some in the den where I watch tv (remains of the Christmas card project). There's some in the living room waiting to be moved to it's new spot in my room. Right now there's some on the kitchen table (current project I was working on while baby sitting grandchild and needed to be close to where she was playing). And there's still some in the room I used to have before I moved into my current room. Yep, it's everywhere.
But that's not what this post is about. Recently, I acquired a lot of vintage ribbons and trims. Not that I needed them. But that's beside the point. For the last week or so, I have been hand washing all of them to get them ready for sale or to go in my stash. HAND washing. In our bathroom sink. Every time he went in the bathroom to take his contacts out, or brush his teeth, or shave, he waited for me to move the ribbons. Sink full after sink full after sink full . . . you get the picture. Well, almost. Then they have to be hung to dry. On clothes hangers in our shower. From our shower head. In our bathroom. Every time he got ready to get in the shower they had to be moved. Day after day after day. When they stopped dripping they were transferred to our bedroom door to hang to finish drying. It was kind of like having one of those old fashioned beaded curtains over our door. Except not beaded and slightly damp.
Not one complaint. Not one snarky comment. Not one angry outburst.
Through all this process we have been passing a really nasty cold around our house. And sweet hubby, who rarely gets sick, got it. When he gets a cold, he's, um, a very noisy sleeper. (Was that tactful enough? lol) I tend to have trouble sleeping. Noise keeps me awake. I'm not nice when I can't sleep. So, bless his heart, he insisted on sleeping on the couch for the entire four nights he was sick, so that I could sleep. Possibly in self defense, but still . . .
Not one complaint. Not one snarky comment. Not one angry outburst.
In addition to all of that, we have had a significant change in our lives in the last month. Sweet hubby is an incredible musician. He plays in numerous bands, does arranging, recording, and engineering for other musicians, and, until the end of last year, led worship at our church. With his resignation there, and us changing churches, he no longer has an office. So all of his equipment came home. Keyboards, sound mixers, amps, music stands, boxes of music, recording equipment, etc., etc., etc. My job right after Christmas was to get the living room set up for him to create a studio to work in. But I got sidetracked with the ribbon project and some other work related things and just didn't get around to it. So all of his equipment is piled in the den and in the trunk or the car. And still . . .
Not one complaint. Not one snarky comment. Not one angry outburst.
Now some of you who do not know him at this point may be thinking he's just a wus. Not true. Actually, the truth is, he's just that nice. A true gentleman. A man of incredible integrity. A gift from God. And he chose to be married to me. WOW! Even after 22 years, this still just blows me away. And here's something that will probably blow you away. In all the time we've been married, even before we were married, not once, never, not even one time, has this wonderful man even hinted at being attracted to another woman. Not a comment on another woman being pretty, or sexy, or even slightly attractive. NEVER!
Don't get me wrong, he's not perfect. He makes mistakes. He gets frustrated. But no matter what, I know that he will always try to do what he thinks is right. And part of that means not saying things that you'll regret later and always putting the ones you love ahead of yourself. His life is such a great example to me of what it truly means to 'die to self'. A life given to God is a life given in service to Christ and to others. I'm so thankful that I have a daily reminder of this living right in front of me. Sometimes I forget what really matters. This past week I've been blown away by my sweet hubby's selflessness. I want to be more like that, less like me, more like Jesus. This is my verse that will be taped on my mirror for a while. The bathroom mirror. Over the bathroom sink. That doesn't have any ribbons in it. So my husband can shave, brush his teeth, and take his contacts out without having to wait for me to move something first. Yep. I'm married to a saint.
"He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30
Is Jesus increasing in your life? Are you becoming more like him? If not, what's holding you back? And is it worth it? Whatever is keeping you from living the life God intended you to live needs to be re-evaluated. Trust Jesus to be your example. Give him everything. You won't regret it. I promise!
Blessings,
Renea
Well, anyway, this particular post is regarding his latest incredible act of tolerance. I'm a scrapbooker. If you are a scrapbooker, you already know what that means. I also sew, teach scrapbook classes, sell scrapbook things, and do custom orders. Needless to say, I have stuff. Lots of stuff. It's everywhere. I even have my own room for my stuff. I've had my own room for a while. But I've never managed to get all my stuff collected into one room. There's some in a closet in our bedroom. There's some in the den where I watch tv (remains of the Christmas card project). There's some in the living room waiting to be moved to it's new spot in my room. Right now there's some on the kitchen table (current project I was working on while baby sitting grandchild and needed to be close to where she was playing). And there's still some in the room I used to have before I moved into my current room. Yep, it's everywhere.
But that's not what this post is about. Recently, I acquired a lot of vintage ribbons and trims. Not that I needed them. But that's beside the point. For the last week or so, I have been hand washing all of them to get them ready for sale or to go in my stash. HAND washing. In our bathroom sink. Every time he went in the bathroom to take his contacts out, or brush his teeth, or shave, he waited for me to move the ribbons. Sink full after sink full after sink full . . . you get the picture. Well, almost. Then they have to be hung to dry. On clothes hangers in our shower. From our shower head. In our bathroom. Every time he got ready to get in the shower they had to be moved. Day after day after day. When they stopped dripping they were transferred to our bedroom door to hang to finish drying. It was kind of like having one of those old fashioned beaded curtains over our door. Except not beaded and slightly damp.
Not one complaint. Not one snarky comment. Not one angry outburst.
Through all this process we have been passing a really nasty cold around our house. And sweet hubby, who rarely gets sick, got it. When he gets a cold, he's, um, a very noisy sleeper. (Was that tactful enough? lol) I tend to have trouble sleeping. Noise keeps me awake. I'm not nice when I can't sleep. So, bless his heart, he insisted on sleeping on the couch for the entire four nights he was sick, so that I could sleep. Possibly in self defense, but still . . .
Not one complaint. Not one snarky comment. Not one angry outburst.
In addition to all of that, we have had a significant change in our lives in the last month. Sweet hubby is an incredible musician. He plays in numerous bands, does arranging, recording, and engineering for other musicians, and, until the end of last year, led worship at our church. With his resignation there, and us changing churches, he no longer has an office. So all of his equipment came home. Keyboards, sound mixers, amps, music stands, boxes of music, recording equipment, etc., etc., etc. My job right after Christmas was to get the living room set up for him to create a studio to work in. But I got sidetracked with the ribbon project and some other work related things and just didn't get around to it. So all of his equipment is piled in the den and in the trunk or the car. And still . . .
Not one complaint. Not one snarky comment. Not one angry outburst.
Now some of you who do not know him at this point may be thinking he's just a wus. Not true. Actually, the truth is, he's just that nice. A true gentleman. A man of incredible integrity. A gift from God. And he chose to be married to me. WOW! Even after 22 years, this still just blows me away. And here's something that will probably blow you away. In all the time we've been married, even before we were married, not once, never, not even one time, has this wonderful man even hinted at being attracted to another woman. Not a comment on another woman being pretty, or sexy, or even slightly attractive. NEVER!
Don't get me wrong, he's not perfect. He makes mistakes. He gets frustrated. But no matter what, I know that he will always try to do what he thinks is right. And part of that means not saying things that you'll regret later and always putting the ones you love ahead of yourself. His life is such a great example to me of what it truly means to 'die to self'. A life given to God is a life given in service to Christ and to others. I'm so thankful that I have a daily reminder of this living right in front of me. Sometimes I forget what really matters. This past week I've been blown away by my sweet hubby's selflessness. I want to be more like that, less like me, more like Jesus. This is my verse that will be taped on my mirror for a while. The bathroom mirror. Over the bathroom sink. That doesn't have any ribbons in it. So my husband can shave, brush his teeth, and take his contacts out without having to wait for me to move something first. Yep. I'm married to a saint.
"He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30
Is Jesus increasing in your life? Are you becoming more like him? If not, what's holding you back? And is it worth it? Whatever is keeping you from living the life God intended you to live needs to be re-evaluated. Trust Jesus to be your example. Give him everything. You won't regret it. I promise!
Blessings,
Renea
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
One little word . . .
Consistent.
n-sis-tuhnt] 
Show IPA
If you aren't familiar with Ali Edwards, you should check her out. She's an amazing lady, with an amazing ability to put things into perspective. I've just discovered her work in the last few months and, well, I'm just amazed by her! lol
She has a class called, "One Little Word" that goes for an entire year. I'm participating this year and would love for you to join me on this adventure. What do you want to see happen in your life this year? How do you want to focus your time, your talents, your life for 2012?
My word for 2012 is 'consistent.'
Something I am not.
Something I really want in my life.
Something I strive for but never achieve.
Something I need.
Something my family needs from me.
To be consistent.
In my faith - compatible, constantly adhering to the same principles, course, form, etc. (with what I know to be true)
In my prayer life - agreeing or accordant; holding firmly together; cohering (with my Father's best for my life)
For my life to reflect what I claim to believe - not self contradictory
In my diet and exercise - fixed, firm (following through, completing my goals)
So that's my word for 2012. Consistent.
What word would you choose for your one little word?
Blessings,
Renea
con·sist·ent
[kuhn-sis-tuhnt] Show IPAadjective
1.
agreeing or accordant; compatible; not self-contradictory:His views and actions are consistent.
2.
constantly adhering to the same principles, course, form, etc.: a consistent opponent.
3.
holding firmly together; cohering.
4.
Archaic . fixed; firm.
If you aren't familiar with Ali Edwards, you should check her out. She's an amazing lady, with an amazing ability to put things into perspective. I've just discovered her work in the last few months and, well, I'm just amazed by her! lol
She has a class called, "One Little Word" that goes for an entire year. I'm participating this year and would love for you to join me on this adventure. What do you want to see happen in your life this year? How do you want to focus your time, your talents, your life for 2012?
My word for 2012 is 'consistent.'
Something I am not.
Something I really want in my life.
Something I strive for but never achieve.
Something I need.
Something my family needs from me.
To be consistent.
In my faith - compatible, constantly adhering to the same principles, course, form, etc. (with what I know to be true)
In my prayer life - agreeing or accordant; holding firmly together; cohering (with my Father's best for my life)
For my life to reflect what I claim to believe - not self contradictory
In my diet and exercise - fixed, firm (following through, completing my goals)
So that's my word for 2012. Consistent.
What word would you choose for your one little word?
Blessings,
Renea
Friday, December 30, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Snow!
As anyone who knows me knows, I hate cold weather. Most people who know me think I really hate snow, too. I don't hate snow - as long as I don't have to spend any time in it. After living in it for a while, all I see is grey, dirty, cloudy, depressing . . . well, you get the picture! lol
However . . . (ready?), when it's falling, and just after it falls, it truly is a spectacular beauty that takes my breath away. We left Mississippi Monday about 9:30pm and drove straight through to northeast Ohio, arriving about 1:30pm central time. It was raining when we left home, and still raining when we arrived in Ohio. Yep, that's right. Sixteen hours of driving in the rain. Fun, huh? But about an hour after we got to my SIL's house, the magic began. The rain changed over to snow and by late afternoon it was all snow, the biggest snowflakes I had ever seen!
Photographing snowflakes is not my forte. But I did get a couple that I thought were neat. Hope you enjoy! This was before dark.
Blessings,
Renea
However . . . (ready?), when it's falling, and just after it falls, it truly is a spectacular beauty that takes my breath away. We left Mississippi Monday about 9:30pm and drove straight through to northeast Ohio, arriving about 1:30pm central time. It was raining when we left home, and still raining when we arrived in Ohio. Yep, that's right. Sixteen hours of driving in the rain. Fun, huh? But about an hour after we got to my SIL's house, the magic began. The rain changed over to snow and by late afternoon it was all snow, the biggest snowflakes I had ever seen!
Photographing snowflakes is not my forte. But I did get a couple that I thought were neat. Hope you enjoy! This was before dark.
This was after dark with a flash.
Look at the size of those snowflakes! Awesome! As always, the pictures are clickable to get a bigger view! I'll get around to some Christmas posts sometime! Hope your holidays have been beautiful, peaceful and filled with joy. God is so good!
Blessings,
Renea
Monday, December 26, 2011
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Change
I hate it. Change, that is. It depresses me, stresses me, and generally makes me angry, unhappy and pretty hard to get along with. The whole lot of it just bothers me. Today marks a huge change for my husband and me. We will be attending a new church beginning next Sunday after 16 years in the same church. I should be excited about the opportunity. I'm trying to be excited. But it's change. I just don't like it. Not that change is always bad. This change is for the best. I know that. I believe that. I'm satisfied that we made the right decision. But it's still change. I have to make new friends. I have to find new things to be involved in. I have to learn a whole new set of things that I need to say 'no' to. (Saying 'no' has never been my specialty. 'Oh, sure, I can handle that!' - whatever 'that' happens to be. Who needs sleep? lol)
Yesterday, Christmas eve, during a communion service at my daughter's church, I was reminded once again that change is often a beautiful thing. Can you imagine the frightening changes that Mary had to go through? How terrifying her future must have looked through her human eyes. She was just a young girl, a teenager! And, Joseph, bless his faithful heart! He must have been crazy in love with her! He wanted to "put her away quietly", ie. send her somewhere to avoid the gossip and ridicule he knew was coming. Have you ever realized that the night Jesus was born, Joseph was in his home town? He had family there. As a matter of fact, his whole family had been ordered to be there to have their taxes assessed. Yet, not one of them could find room in their home to let him and his nine-month pregnant fiance sleep. So, here is this teenage girl, who has never had sex, alone with a man she is engaged to but not married to, in a cave with filthy animals, after traveling about 3 days on a donkey or walking, without a midwife or her mom or a best friend, and she's in labor. Don't you think maybe once or twice she and Joseph had to think, 'God, are you serious? Really? This is your idea of bringing Messiah to our people?'
But aren't we grateful that Mary and Joseph accepted what they were facing and were obedient to God's call on their lives? Because of the changes they were willing to make in THEIR plans, forsaking THEIR dreams and plans and accepting God's plan, the Savior came! Yes, change can really be a beautiful thing. If you have accepted Christ as your Savior then you know this to be true. I'm so thankful that God loved me enough to accept me the way I was and continues to love me as I try to become all that He created me to be. I have much to learn. I never want to stop the changing process. It scares me half to death but I know it has to happen. As my husband and I embark on a new adventure I know there will be challenges. But God will be with us every step. I know I will still have some moments of discomfort. But I also know that every time we are obedient to God's call on our lives, the blessings always outweigh the fears and frustrations. I pray that whatever changes you are facing this Christmas, that you fall on His grace, stand on His promises, and trust in His faithfulness to get you through it.
Blessings and a very merry Christmas,
Renea
Yesterday, Christmas eve, during a communion service at my daughter's church, I was reminded once again that change is often a beautiful thing. Can you imagine the frightening changes that Mary had to go through? How terrifying her future must have looked through her human eyes. She was just a young girl, a teenager! And, Joseph, bless his faithful heart! He must have been crazy in love with her! He wanted to "put her away quietly", ie. send her somewhere to avoid the gossip and ridicule he knew was coming. Have you ever realized that the night Jesus was born, Joseph was in his home town? He had family there. As a matter of fact, his whole family had been ordered to be there to have their taxes assessed. Yet, not one of them could find room in their home to let him and his nine-month pregnant fiance sleep. So, here is this teenage girl, who has never had sex, alone with a man she is engaged to but not married to, in a cave with filthy animals, after traveling about 3 days on a donkey or walking, without a midwife or her mom or a best friend, and she's in labor. Don't you think maybe once or twice she and Joseph had to think, 'God, are you serious? Really? This is your idea of bringing Messiah to our people?'
But aren't we grateful that Mary and Joseph accepted what they were facing and were obedient to God's call on their lives? Because of the changes they were willing to make in THEIR plans, forsaking THEIR dreams and plans and accepting God's plan, the Savior came! Yes, change can really be a beautiful thing. If you have accepted Christ as your Savior then you know this to be true. I'm so thankful that God loved me enough to accept me the way I was and continues to love me as I try to become all that He created me to be. I have much to learn. I never want to stop the changing process. It scares me half to death but I know it has to happen. As my husband and I embark on a new adventure I know there will be challenges. But God will be with us every step. I know I will still have some moments of discomfort. But I also know that every time we are obedient to God's call on our lives, the blessings always outweigh the fears and frustrations. I pray that whatever changes you are facing this Christmas, that you fall on His grace, stand on His promises, and trust in His faithfulness to get you through it.
Blessings and a very merry Christmas,
Renea
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
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