More Bravery

Well, here are 2 more watercolors. The view from the window still needs some brightening up outside, but I still wanted to post it.

I can't tell you just how much better I feel these days since I've been taking care of me! I could paint all day!!! When I drive down the road, I am looking at scenery, buildings so much differently--ummm...that would be fun to paint :-)!!

Thank all of you for your prayers as I know that THEY are the real reason I was even able to begin to put attention onto myself!! You are all the best!!

In The Secret Place

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous--and how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formedd in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. Ps 139: 13-15 (NLT).
We were in awe as we looked into what was once "utter seclusion" and saw the beautiful face of our granddaughter! This is the new 3D ultrasound. The video that was taken is in 4D.

We were amazed to see the detail of her face and parts of her body in such detail. Look forward (I hope) to a You Tube link to see the video :-).

This is either Shayla or Kyla and she is 29 wks in these pictures--due Oct 8!!!!! 10 weeks to go.

Being Brave

Well, I am doing something that I normally wouldn't do--but I am determined to regain the braveness that the past 10 years have sucked out of me. July has been full of things that I have been doing just for me--like taking a digital scrapbooking class, a beginning watercolor class, attending 2 multi day women's conferences and enrolling in Massage Envy and in Healthy Now (personal trainer, nutritionist & gym) not to mention spending a week with my precious granddaughter & daughter, X, & Fran, a very special friend! I am beginning to feel the life, joy, excitement and bravery returning to my soul.

I am posting my first watercolor from class. The edges are blurry because the original is too big for the scanner but look past that. This is a place that, Lord willing, I will visit one day. It is a farm in Tuscany! If anyone would like to contribute to this dream--I'm not proud :-)

This is who I want to be--my prayer for myself today

I am "borrowing" this from Beth's blog from a few days ago. When I read it, it so struck my heart that this is so what I want for myself. To be truly meek. I am blessed to know a few women like this and so I seek to imitate them as they imitate Christ.

MEEK ~"The meek man, is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. Rather, he may be in his moral life as bold as a lion and as strong as Samson; but he has stopped being fooled about himself. He knows he is as weak and helpless as God has declared him to be, but paradoxically, he knows at the same time that he is, in the sight of God, more important than angels. In himself, nothing; in God, everything. That is his motto. He knows well that the world will never see him as God sees him and he has stopped caring. He rests perfectly content to allow God to place His own values. He will be patient to wait for the day when everything will get its own price tag and real worth will come into its own. Then the righteous shall shine forth in the kingdom of their Father. His is willing to wait for that day.In the meantime, he will have attained a place of soul rest. As he walks on in meekness he will be happy to let God defend him. The old struggle to defend himself is over. He has found the peace which meekness brings.Then also he will get deliverance from the burden of pretense. By this I mean not hypocrisy, but the common human desire to put the best foot forward and hide from the world our real inward poverty. For sin has played many evil tricks upon us, and one has been the infusing into us of a false sense of shame." AW Tozer, The Pursuit of God.

You Are Loved

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls7ila3srzI

click and be blessed

The high charge of being a mom

A special friend forwarded me this poem. What a challenge it is to all the moms of this world. If we aren't diligent about our paths our precious little lambs will follow right behind us. No matter how old they are our job to stay on the right path never ends. What an awesome responsibility the Lord has given to all of us. How can ever get off our knees?

'Twas a Sheep Not a Lamb
'Twas a sheep, not a lamb, that strayed away in the parable Jesus told:A grown-up sheep that had gone astray from the ninety and nine in the fold.Out on the hillside, out in the cold, 'twas a sheep the Good Shepherd sought and back to the the flock, safe in the fold, 'twas a sheep the Good Shepherd brought. And why for the sheep should we earnestly long and as earnestly hope and pray?Because there is danger, if they go wrong they will lead the lambs astray. For the lambs will follow the sheep you know, wherever the sheep may stray: When the sheep go wrong, it will not be long till the lambs are as wrong as they. And so with the sheep we earnestly plead, for the sake of the lambs today; If the lambs are lost, what terrible cost some sheep will have to pay!
Parable of the Lost sheep - Luke 15:1-7
Author Unknown

Today's reading & prayer request

I am using Stormie's The Power Of A Praying Woman Bible this year. It is great--like having all her books rolled into 1 and then having them sprinkled throughout the Bible! Today's "Going Deeper" section on 2 Kings 4:1-7 spoke to me in regards to my waiting and so I thought that it might minister to you, too.

"Elisha said, 'Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, as as each is filled, put it to one side;".
The widow didn't know what God would do with these empty jars; she only knew He asked her to gather many. This woman's faith would be measured by how many jars she collected.
God took what the widow had in her one jar and multiplied it to fill all the containers she borrowed and brought into her house. She was then able to sell the oil and pay her debts.
God will take what you have and multiply it to meet your needs as well. But how well are you able to contain all God has for you? Do you have faith enough to embrace the big things God wants to do in your life? If not, ask Him to give you big faith, and then determine to shut the door on doubt.

May I ask you to pray that I truly may shut the door on any doubt that the enemy tries to neutralize God's plans with in my life as we continue to be in waiting. Thank you, dear friends.

Please leave any of your prayer requests or devotional thoughts!

Still waiting

Well, this is my first blogging experience...hmmm...wonder what it will help me discover about myself and what the Lord has in store for me?

I have been "sitting" for 1 year now since resigning from a ministry position. I was so sure that God had a new chapter all ready to reveal to me when I followed HIS prompting to resign. So sure that the house would sell immediately and that we would be back "home" by the end of last summer...I wonder if God wonders if I will ever really get the fact that His ways aren't my ways etc. I am so glad that He isn't like earthly parents, but that His way is perfect and that NOTHING ever keeps His word from being fulfilled, "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope." Jer 29:11

I am at a level of peace now, knowing that His timing just hasn't been reached yet. I don't want to miss ANYTHING that He has for me to know or learn. I know that waiting is one of the best ways to get to know Him more and that is my goal--to really KNOW Him more.