What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?"
This song just hits me right in the heart!!!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Blessings
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?"
This song just hits me right in the heart!!!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Happy, Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to my WONDERFUL husband!!! I love you so much!
We didn't do anything amazing... just went to Ikea and got a dresser so we can get our clothes out of the bins. (Exciting, I know! That's how we roll! lol.) Monday when we actually get the dresser assembled and the clothes out of the bins and into said assembled dresser -- THAT will be amazing!!! :) We've been looking at garage sales and auctions, but the drawers are always too heavy. We left our dresser back in PA because it was very, very old (60-70 years) and the drawers were so heavy. When I'm having a bad MS day I can't open them. We finally decided to get the one from Ikea because it was (a) in our extremely low price range and (b) has very easy to open drawers.
I'm such a slacker this year. I've always been into baking cakes for birthdays, but my husband would rather eat ice cream. So, I got him an ice cream cake. Sure, I've made them myself before for him, but you have to understand that I found a coupon for $3.00 off an 8" round cake from Dairy Queen. I mean, we're talking a THREE BUCK savings on a way overpriced half gallon of ice cream!!! I may not be one of those extreme coupon chicks (who I think maybe are on the wrong show...I mean, why would you buy 100 bottles of Excedrin just because you have 100 coupons for it? It will expire before you can use it. Well, unless you take, like, 20 of them each day... in which case you'll end up with some kind of major organ failure and there are NO coupons for that!), but I know a deal when I see one! ;) (Where do they get all those coupons anyway? The only reason I've watched that show is to find out where they get the coupons, but they only brag about their "stock piles" and how much $$ they saved. They NEVER share their secret coupon sources!)
Where was I? Oh, yes. I saved $3, but the real savings was in the time area. I have just been so busy the past few weeks! So, yes...I'm a slacker. I admit it! "Hello, my name is Stacey and I'm a slacker." But, he was very happy with his DQ ice cream cake. :)
I should mention on here that I've made a new friend! Well, we haven't actually gotten together or anything, but she's a pastor's wife here as well. We both moved from another state. Both moves were quick moves. We have a lot in common. Our churches even have the same name. Hers is about 40 min. from ours (I think). It's going to be nice to have someone to chat with who isn't in our congregation.
Better get to bed! I have to get up early and get Gidget to the library to sign up for their summer reading program. Apparently last year they brought in miniature crocodiles and let the kids pet them...which immediately meant to her that she HAD to become a member...and immediately meant to me that I need to pray more!
We didn't do anything amazing... just went to Ikea and got a dresser so we can get our clothes out of the bins. (Exciting, I know! That's how we roll! lol.) Monday when we actually get the dresser assembled and the clothes out of the bins and into said assembled dresser -- THAT will be amazing!!! :) We've been looking at garage sales and auctions, but the drawers are always too heavy. We left our dresser back in PA because it was very, very old (60-70 years) and the drawers were so heavy. When I'm having a bad MS day I can't open them. We finally decided to get the one from Ikea because it was (a) in our extremely low price range and (b) has very easy to open drawers.
I'm such a slacker this year. I've always been into baking cakes for birthdays, but my husband would rather eat ice cream. So, I got him an ice cream cake. Sure, I've made them myself before for him, but you have to understand that I found a coupon for $3.00 off an 8" round cake from Dairy Queen. I mean, we're talking a THREE BUCK savings on a way overpriced half gallon of ice cream!!! I may not be one of those extreme coupon chicks (who I think maybe are on the wrong show...I mean, why would you buy 100 bottles of Excedrin just because you have 100 coupons for it? It will expire before you can use it. Well, unless you take, like, 20 of them each day... in which case you'll end up with some kind of major organ failure and there are NO coupons for that!), but I know a deal when I see one! ;) (Where do they get all those coupons anyway? The only reason I've watched that show is to find out where they get the coupons, but they only brag about their "stock piles" and how much $$ they saved. They NEVER share their secret coupon sources!)
Where was I? Oh, yes. I saved $3, but the real savings was in the time area. I have just been so busy the past few weeks! So, yes...I'm a slacker. I admit it! "Hello, my name is Stacey and I'm a slacker." But, he was very happy with his DQ ice cream cake. :)
I should mention on here that I've made a new friend! Well, we haven't actually gotten together or anything, but she's a pastor's wife here as well. We both moved from another state. Both moves were quick moves. We have a lot in common. Our churches even have the same name. Hers is about 40 min. from ours (I think). It's going to be nice to have someone to chat with who isn't in our congregation.
Better get to bed! I have to get up early and get Gidget to the library to sign up for their summer reading program. Apparently last year they brought in miniature crocodiles and let the kids pet them...which immediately meant to her that she HAD to become a member...and immediately meant to me that I need to pray more!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Humbled
So, today was an AMAZING day for me! For the first time in over, wow, 6 or so years I played the piano for church!!! It was totally indescribable how God helped me with it.
I was really terrified when I was asked to fill the spot for the lady who usually plays. She's an amazing pianist and such a sweetheart! But ya know...I promised God that I'd serve Him where He gave me opportunity. I didn't ever think I'd play the piano again for church, but He opened the door and I knew He wanted me to do it. I figured, "Well, I'm either going to crash & burn and be totally embarrassed by doing this OR God is going to take over and let me use my fingers again." Once I accepted that, an amazing sense of peace came over me and I knew that God was in control.
Yes, I played the piano today and it was an amazing feeling. I have missed it so, so much. It's hard to explain how much you miss something like that. It was just a part of me. But, God in His infinite mercy gave me it back for today. I don't know if I'll be able to do it tomorrow. I just know that He used me today and it felt really, really good. (And, yes, I hit quite a few sour notes. lol.)
"Indescribable, Uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are AMAZING God!
All Powerful, Untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim:
You are AMAZING God!"
(Chris Tomlin)
It's AWESOME to serve such an AMAZING GOD!!!!! I'm feeling just totally humbled and grateful and just plain amazed.
I was really terrified when I was asked to fill the spot for the lady who usually plays. She's an amazing pianist and such a sweetheart! But ya know...I promised God that I'd serve Him where He gave me opportunity. I didn't ever think I'd play the piano again for church, but He opened the door and I knew He wanted me to do it. I figured, "Well, I'm either going to crash & burn and be totally embarrassed by doing this OR God is going to take over and let me use my fingers again." Once I accepted that, an amazing sense of peace came over me and I knew that God was in control.
Yes, I played the piano today and it was an amazing feeling. I have missed it so, so much. It's hard to explain how much you miss something like that. It was just a part of me. But, God in His infinite mercy gave me it back for today. I don't know if I'll be able to do it tomorrow. I just know that He used me today and it felt really, really good. (And, yes, I hit quite a few sour notes. lol.)
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are AMAZING God!
All Powerful, Untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim:
You are AMAZING God!"
It's AWESOME to serve such an AMAZING GOD!!!!! I'm feeling just totally humbled and grateful and just plain amazed.
Friday, May 20, 2011
As Time Goes By...
"Tick-Tock; Tick-Tock. Where did the time go on the clock?"
Do you remember that rhyme from school? Maybe it was just a thing from the elementary school I attended. I do find myself asking, "Where did all this time go?"
It seems like it was just yesterday that we were in our Pennsylvania home listening to Christmas music and decorating our tree. That was Thanksgiving night. Somewhere in the middle of that night, someone clicked the fast-forward button and now, here we are...less than 2 weeks from Memorial Day!
After posting THIS BLOG POST in January, life just got so busy so fast. My world became surrounded by cardboard boxes to which I had to surrender. They are still holding much of our belongings hostage, but I believe they will eventually agree to releasing them. I would truly appreciate it if the box that is holding my iron hostage would kindly set it free. I'm happy to exchange one of the many cake pans I've discovered for the iron. I'd like to have some wrinkle-free clothes.
Life here in IL is very different from life back in PA. We are in a town that actually has a Wal-Mart, too many fast food places, too many pizza joints, an Amtrak station, and lots of people. Yet, it's a much simpler place. The kids here aren't all attached to the end of the newest electronic gizmo beginning with a lowercase "i". Their parents expect them to (GASP!) get their driver's licenses and jobs and pay for those gizmos themselves if they want them! People in this town are "lifers" -- what they call themselves since they were born here and intend to stay her until they die.
We got here and were met by a band of people from our new church home. They had the moving truck unpacked quicker than my brain could comprehend. I thought maybe 2-3 guys would turn up to help. NOPE. There were men, women, teens, & children -- whole families who gave up their Saturday to help us get unloaded. The women immediately jumped in and began to help me unpack the kitchen stuff. It was amazing how quickly they worked! They were just so happy we were here. It made me feel really good... and humbled. It doesn't matter to me that I still can't find some things and that they have a very different idea of where things should go in a kitchen. They are just such kind, loving people!
I remember thinking, "Well, this ain't gonna last long!" We'd been hurt before, so I have a tendency to expect it. These people are the real deal, though. I'm enjoying getting to know them all more and more.
Life has been crazy busy! We have been running full steam ahead and I'm getting tired. I love it, though. It's pretty sad when you are looking forward to taking a trip out to MN for a memorial service in June because you are expecting to get a little rest. (Pathetic... I know.)
I love our house! We hadn't seen it except for an outside shot before we got here. I got to walk through it for maybe 2 minutes before the church folks got here to unload us, so it was just too much to take in all at once. We have a garage attached to the house! It's so cool! I don't get wet now when it's raining and I need to get in and out of our Jeep! And, there's another garage that sits behind the house. Right now it's holding all those boxes that need unpacked, but my husband is looking forward to turning it into...something. His man cave I suppose.
I have a basement. That's where the laundry room is. My physical therapy so far has been doing those steps a few times each day. Do you know how AMAZING it feels to be able to do steps after being in a wheelchair for so long??? God is so AWESOME! Sure, I have my own quirky way of doing them, but the point is that I do them! :) Oh, and there is a laundry chute in the bathroom. That's really convenient!
I'll post pictures when I have more time. I guess I'm just still in awe of things. You see, I've never lived in a house that had a garage or a basement. I really feel truly blessed. I was terrified at the thought of leasing a house for 2 years that I hadn't even seen. But, we had to have a place to live and this is what God provided in our price range. Our landlord is considering doing a lease-to-own deal with us. That would be nice. This was a "blind move" for us, but God saw it and knew this was just what we needed. It's not a big house, but it's big enough. It's not a new house, but it has all we need. I think it's perfect. Do I like all the decor? No. I'm not really into all the granny-ish prints. I don't like the drape choices, and the landlord's wife wants them to stay put while we are leasing in case we decide to move...but that's just something that provides privacy. No sense in letting my particular taste get in the way of enjoying a true blessing from the Lord! In all honesty, it would take me the 2 years on our lease to figure out what drapes and wall paper and such that I'd want...let alone the time it would take to get it all put up! We moved in and it's all in place. YAY!
I have to laugh because a lifetime ago I dated an older man. I was 22. He was 38. Nice guy, just not the man God wanted me to marry. The laughter comes in when I think back to the way he had his kitchen decorated. It was all done in fruit, and I just wasn't the fruit decor kind of gal. I'd tease him about it. Guess what my kitchen boarder is??? LOL. Yep! Fruit. Mostly clusters of grapes.
Anyway, I should get to bed. No, I still don't sleep much. I did go for a week or so sleeping. Now my mind is too busy to let me sleep. UGH. Some things never change.
My husband is so happy to be serving full time in the ministry. It's not as lucrative as his former job, but his retirement plan is out of this world! :) He loves serving God, and I love that he is so happy. I'd rather be dirt poor and happy because we are in God's will than be rich and out of His will. God is meeting every need. He's even providing some wants. What a MIGHTY GOD we serve!
Yes, that fast-forward button got pressed Thanksgiving night... but it's nice to be moving forward for a change. :)
Sorry this is so discombobulated...but it is 4:42 a.m. here in IL and I haven't been to sleep yet. I'm going to try to keep this blog more updated. I need to do it. I love blogging. Time just slipped away...
"Tick-Tock; Tick-Tock. Where did the time go on the clock?"
Do you remember that rhyme from school? Maybe it was just a thing from the elementary school I attended. I do find myself asking, "Where did all this time go?"
It seems like it was just yesterday that we were in our Pennsylvania home listening to Christmas music and decorating our tree. That was Thanksgiving night. Somewhere in the middle of that night, someone clicked the fast-forward button and now, here we are...less than 2 weeks from Memorial Day!
After posting THIS BLOG POST in January, life just got so busy so fast. My world became surrounded by cardboard boxes to which I had to surrender. They are still holding much of our belongings hostage, but I believe they will eventually agree to releasing them. I would truly appreciate it if the box that is holding my iron hostage would kindly set it free. I'm happy to exchange one of the many cake pans I've discovered for the iron. I'd like to have some wrinkle-free clothes.
Life here in IL is very different from life back in PA. We are in a town that actually has a Wal-Mart, too many fast food places, too many pizza joints, an Amtrak station, and lots of people. Yet, it's a much simpler place. The kids here aren't all attached to the end of the newest electronic gizmo beginning with a lowercase "i". Their parents expect them to (GASP!) get their driver's licenses and jobs and pay for those gizmos themselves if they want them! People in this town are "lifers" -- what they call themselves since they were born here and intend to stay her until they die.
We got here and were met by a band of people from our new church home. They had the moving truck unpacked quicker than my brain could comprehend. I thought maybe 2-3 guys would turn up to help. NOPE. There were men, women, teens, & children -- whole families who gave up their Saturday to help us get unloaded. The women immediately jumped in and began to help me unpack the kitchen stuff. It was amazing how quickly they worked! They were just so happy we were here. It made me feel really good... and humbled. It doesn't matter to me that I still can't find some things and that they have a very different idea of where things should go in a kitchen. They are just such kind, loving people!
I remember thinking, "Well, this ain't gonna last long!" We'd been hurt before, so I have a tendency to expect it. These people are the real deal, though. I'm enjoying getting to know them all more and more.
Life has been crazy busy! We have been running full steam ahead and I'm getting tired. I love it, though. It's pretty sad when you are looking forward to taking a trip out to MN for a memorial service in June because you are expecting to get a little rest. (Pathetic... I know.)
I love our house! We hadn't seen it except for an outside shot before we got here. I got to walk through it for maybe 2 minutes before the church folks got here to unload us, so it was just too much to take in all at once. We have a garage attached to the house! It's so cool! I don't get wet now when it's raining and I need to get in and out of our Jeep! And, there's another garage that sits behind the house. Right now it's holding all those boxes that need unpacked, but my husband is looking forward to turning it into...something. His man cave I suppose.
I have a basement. That's where the laundry room is. My physical therapy so far has been doing those steps a few times each day. Do you know how AMAZING it feels to be able to do steps after being in a wheelchair for so long??? God is so AWESOME! Sure, I have my own quirky way of doing them, but the point is that I do them! :) Oh, and there is a laundry chute in the bathroom. That's really convenient!
I'll post pictures when I have more time. I guess I'm just still in awe of things. You see, I've never lived in a house that had a garage or a basement. I really feel truly blessed. I was terrified at the thought of leasing a house for 2 years that I hadn't even seen. But, we had to have a place to live and this is what God provided in our price range. Our landlord is considering doing a lease-to-own deal with us. That would be nice. This was a "blind move" for us, but God saw it and knew this was just what we needed. It's not a big house, but it's big enough. It's not a new house, but it has all we need. I think it's perfect. Do I like all the decor? No. I'm not really into all the granny-ish prints. I don't like the drape choices, and the landlord's wife wants them to stay put while we are leasing in case we decide to move...but that's just something that provides privacy. No sense in letting my particular taste get in the way of enjoying a true blessing from the Lord! In all honesty, it would take me the 2 years on our lease to figure out what drapes and wall paper and such that I'd want...let alone the time it would take to get it all put up! We moved in and it's all in place. YAY!
I have to laugh because a lifetime ago I dated an older man. I was 22. He was 38. Nice guy, just not the man God wanted me to marry. The laughter comes in when I think back to the way he had his kitchen decorated. It was all done in fruit, and I just wasn't the fruit decor kind of gal. I'd tease him about it. Guess what my kitchen boarder is??? LOL. Yep! Fruit. Mostly clusters of grapes.
Anyway, I should get to bed. No, I still don't sleep much. I did go for a week or so sleeping. Now my mind is too busy to let me sleep. UGH. Some things never change.
My husband is so happy to be serving full time in the ministry. It's not as lucrative as his former job, but his retirement plan is out of this world! :) He loves serving God, and I love that he is so happy. I'd rather be dirt poor and happy because we are in God's will than be rich and out of His will. God is meeting every need. He's even providing some wants. What a MIGHTY GOD we serve!
Yes, that fast-forward button got pressed Thanksgiving night... but it's nice to be moving forward for a change. :)
Sorry this is so discombobulated...but it is 4:42 a.m. here in IL and I haven't been to sleep yet. I'm going to try to keep this blog more updated. I need to do it. I love blogging. Time just slipped away...
"Tick-Tock; Tick-Tock. Where did the time go on the clock?"
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