Get back to Gilgal!

Go has been speaking to my heart through many channels these last 24 hours about the same thing, but the one I want to blog about today is through a sermon from my Pastor at my church home back in Georgia. How great is technology when you don't have to miss a church service because you can watch it on an app on your tablet?!!? It has truly been a blessing to me!

So heres a little meat for my blog post today: The Pastor has been preaching on a series through the book of Joshua and the one I watched today was when Joshua had led the Israelite's across the Jordan river and they were about to make camp in Gilgal on the East Border of Jericho. God had told Joshua to make a memorial there with 12 stones from the dry ground God provided to them to pass through the Jordan river. This memorial was to be a reminder to them and their children and generations on of when the Israelites passed over Jordan on dry ground. Gilgal was used as the camp the Israelites used to always come back to refresh and renew from their battles or journeys. It symbolizes in today's Christian life as the point in our life of our salvation, when God delivers us! The place in our life where God called you to be his child. The place where you look back on your life and seen how it was before God and a reminder of Gods faithfulness.

Where was my Gilgal? When I lived in Georgia it was my church home. It was a constant reminder of the place where God came to me both when I got saved the first time and also when I rededicated my life to him. I would drive past this church daily, I attended church there, my children when to preschool there, I helped with Awanas there, I mean this place was LITERALLY a huge part of my life so it was a constant reminder of the blessing of Gods salvation to me. Though it is still my church home in my heart, I no longer live near there. I don't have that constant reminder of Gods grace... 2 years later my walk.... well.... lets just say I haven't been walking much, and if I have walked it has been on the opposite direction of God.

How do I get back to my Gilgal? Well physically I can't! But why should I?? God is EVERYWHERE! He is with us ALWAYS and he is with us anywhere we are. What does it take to get back? Well folks, there is one direction you need to look and that is up. STOP! Stop what you are doing, get un-busy, get away from all of your distractions. Take time alone with God to have him speak to your heart. To remind you of the great things he has done for you. As if sacrificing his only son wasn't enough. The flesh desires an elaborate display of grace God has given us doesn't it?? To get in that quite place, back to basics, back to the core! What do I need to do?? It is different for everyone! Pray, worship, read the Bible, be alone and just be still. Discover that place in your heart where God built that memorial of the time he delivered you from your sins and ultimately to the promised land!

I have recently found a quaint little church to attend. It is the complete OPPOSITE of my home church. But come to think of it, my home church was once a quaint little church... I am striving to get more involved and get over my judgemental attitude and giving this new one the chance it deserves. Lord knows I didn't and don't deserve chances but he gives them doesn't he! God is so good!!!My blogs may not make sense to you (I tend to be scatterbrained), and you may not understand but I write them in hopes that you may understand and that God blesses you through it somehow.

Lazy Day

So last night I woke up at 3am and didn't get back to sleep till 7am. Needless to say I am one exhausted mommy. So today called for a sit around in your PJ'S all day. I known definitely don't get anything I need to get done finished but it does give me some time tonchillax. Especially since life has been crazy. Out of town guests and football and cheerleading. Gymnastics/tumbling starts Monday for my youngest. I am excited. She's taking a tumbling class with a hip hop/jazz dance class after it. =) If you know my youngest you will know she is going to love it. So other than that going on tying up homeschool loose ends. Preparing for a couples/group bible study coming up. Mad props to my mom for hooking us up with the curriculum!!! So right now that's all that's going on in my crazy busy life right now. Hope yall have an awesomely blessed day!!!! =)

Update

Well.. it's been a while since I have written a blog post. Probably will be a while before I write another post but I figured I owed everyone an update. Once again I have struggled with my spiritual walk and it has come to my attention that my prayer life was practically non existant.. It's time for me to step up. Each morning I have a designated quiet time for Bible reading and prayer time. And I have to admit it's been a great thing. I have had prayers answered for those on my prayer list. PRAISE GOD!! I will continue to pray for them but it's amazing that God hears the smallest of pleas. Never underestimate the power of prayer. My oldest turned 10 yesterday. I can't get over how quickly time is going by. It's quite depressing. Even more my baby is gonna be 6 this year!!! Football and cheer season are upon us. So this season I gm have a cheerleader, a football player and a gymnast. Super excited to watch them grow through this stage in their life. My family is starting a weekly Bible study next week and I am honestly extremely excited about it. We've also started attending church regularly.. it's been difficult to find one we like. We were constantly comparing it to our church back home. Now, we just asked God to put us where he wants us. Right now I feel led to the church we are attending now. So far it's been good. =) so for right now all good right now. Thanks everyone for keeping up. Until next time!!!
Xoxoxo

Controversy!

As I sit here and sip my coffee out of my favorite Eeyore coffee cup I find it humorous that most of the time people do not read my posts unless they are controversial. Or they don't comment unless they want to bash me for believing a different way than they do. I have had many disagreements on facebook about many things. Luckily MOST but not all of those disagreements are actually just that and not arguments and bashing the other person or me. Social Media is definitely not what it was before. And I am guilty for abusing it along with many others to further my agenda in sharing my beliefs and justifications about these beliefs to the world. I can remember back when my younger brother was in college. He was the first one to ever tell me about Facebook. Back then it was exclusive to college students. You literally had to have a college e-mail address to be allowed to partake. Then Facebook became a way to find your lost family members or friends you haven't seen or spoken to in a while. NOW! Its full of political and religious articles. Don't get me wrong. A lot of people post some VERY interesting articles but some are just plain dumb. I am probably guilty for both. And don't even get me started on the games.. PLEAS PLEASE do NOT invite me to play games on Facebook. I can not tell you how many folks have been removed because they have not respected my request to stop inviting me to these life sucking addicting games. And some how... SPAM found its way onto Social Media. People repost those photos that say if you don't share this you will die in the next 24 hours or the love of your life will sweep you off your feet in the next week. Bologna. Now there are so many Social Media outlets and they are steadily becoming a source for people to use your thoughts and opinions and even your photos against you. Granted, some folks lack the common sense ability to know that if you are underage and you post a photo of you drinking a beer... really. Think about it.. That really was not smart. You just put a huge target on your back. And if you hate your job and you are friends with your boss or someone who you work with (because you never know if they are a little brown noser) do not post if on Facebook! Social media has been the birth of so many things that have just gone wrong. From really awkward bathroom selfies to the infamous duck lips. Look girls, if you want to constantly do duck lips please let your parents know so instead of dropping thousands of dollars to give you a beautiful smile they can just have your lips done. I have never read a quote that said do duck lips because you never know if the aflac duck is checking you out. SMILE! Someone is falling in love with your smile!!! Sheesh! So yeah my rant on Social Media sites! They are bitter sweet. You stay in touch with family members and old school friends mixed in with everything else.

Pulling Back the Shades

So I have started a new book in light of the release of the movie Fifty Shades of Grey. I purchased a book from Dannah Gresh. Its a viewpoint from two Christian women on the book Fifty Shades of Grey. She had a great deal on the book. It was half off and she sent an extra copy for a friend. So I have two. One that I am reading and one I am hoping to share with a friend who is in need of a book to show her what love and intimacy is supposed to be as intended by God. I have NOT and will NOT read the book Fifty Shades of Grey nor will I be seeing the movie. I just can not bring myself to do it and pay money for something so masochistic. Dannah also included in the back of the book a Study of sorts for the book and a printable version on her website. Like I said I am halfway through and thus far its great. Answered many questions as far as intimacy that Christian women struggle with, like what is acceptable and what is not. A lot of times its an off limit topic due to the fact that well.. it is intimate. So here in the next couple of days I will be trying to finish off that book.

In other news I got my birthday present from my in laws early!! I have to admit I am super stoked about it. They bought me a ticket to see Celtic Women. I have been wanting to see them in person for so long. Its unexplainable what I love so much about their music. Its just so moving and sweet and passionate. I can NOT wait to see them! And even better my sister in law is coming with me!!!! YAY!! Nothing like taking your red headed sister in law to see some Irish women sing and play instruments!

This is the newest addition to our little er well big family. Another fur baby. He is a full blooded English Mastiff. A dog my husband has wanted since he was a little boy and watched the movie the Sandlot. He is the sweetest most cuddly puppy I think I have ever had. He has been a great addition. I keep telling my husband that since I can not give him another son a 200lb dog should do! 

Anyways! Well that is all for today! Its Wednesday so its our weekly get together day. I can not wait. Dinner and company is ALWAYS amazing. Its well worth the mess! I hope everyone has a great day! God Bless

Week 7 Childhood Memories!

Alright now that I am I caught up on this blog challenge you probably wont be seeing multiple posts from me in one day! YAY! I know right! Gets tiring doesn't it. This week I am supposed to talk about my childhood memories. Well I'm getting a little older so they are few and far between but there are definitely some that stick out in my mind good and bad but the good are are mostly spending time with my grandparents and at my Uncle Daves farm. I truly miss my Grandpas and my Uncle Dave.  Uncle Daves farm where my brothers and my cousin terrified my other cousin and I with the remnants of what was being prepared for dinner that night. We were having chiken for dinner and the heads were cut off. They would pick up the heads and chase them while squeezing them just enough to make their mouths open. I KNOW!!! Boy relatives are SOO mean! I remember drinking fresh milk... Right out of the cow. I remember swimming in my Grandpas swimming pool. Going to my other Grandparents house and playing in the lake and my grandpa taking us to Car shows! My Gramma telling me about fashion and how it has evolved! Family reunions. Care free days playing not a care in the world. Here are just a few pictures I have to post. =D

Week 6 Ten Years From Now

Week 6: Ten Years From Now

Honestly, I do not want to even think about ten years from now. I am considering boycotting my birthday this year! Even though I have already gotten a phenomenal gift from my in-laws, the though of turning 30 just creeps me out. So hypothetically if this planet as we know it is still around in 10 years ( I am a firm believer that Christ may be coming back before then) I will be... *cough* 40 and my babies wont be babies anymore. I will have an almost 20 year old daughter, a 17 year old son and my baby will be 16!! OMG!!! That is only in 10 years!!! GASP! Where has time gone. I look back at my life 10 years ago and I never would have thought I would be where I am now. Crazy to think how life changes so much! I still see me continuing to homeschool my children and watch as they excel and grow into the most amazing little people ever. I still see me and my husband very happy and in love with each other. I am looking forward to the adventures! All I can say is I am looking forward to the next 10 years of my life!!!