New Year Wishes

What an amazing year this has been.. reflecting back over 2007 it's been full of laughter, tears, grief, fear, joy, praise, healing, restoration, love, blessings, forgiveness (after overcoming unforgiveness)... and a multitude of other things equally as wonderful... I must say that I am looking forward to what the Lord has instore for me in 2008... everyday is new and a mystery.. a true gift from our gracious Father in heaven!!! For 2008 I wish peace, prosperity, healing, growth, love, laughter, hugs, kisses, joy, restoration, forgiveness and a abundance of blessings from the Lord upon you .... we will encounter pain, sorrow, grief, struggles, sin, anger...true troubled times... I pray that in the midst of these times, the Lord is ever present in our minds and hearts.....I pray in those time we can rise up and praise Him still! I pray that we enter every day with a renewed sence of thanksgiving for the air we breathe and the lives we have. I love you all very much and thank God for the gift of your friendship and sistership... Happy New Year Sisters!

The Father's 'tough' Love

Today I'm grateful that we serve a Father that loves us so much that he will reveal our transgressions to us and give us the strength to overcome those and get back on that solid ground he promises...I am grateful for the 'counselors' he's put in my life to help guide me, pray for me and point me to the truth (even if it hurts!). I'm also grateful for my husband, for his unique heart and personality. I believe the weary and heavy feeling I've been carrying around is no less than my lack of participation in the Word... and I can tell you first hand that will effect all the area's of your life. The enemy loves when we are distanced from God, our spouces, our friends and our family... but I am claiming my position in Christ today and will not give the enemy one ounce of victory over me today!

1 Peter 3:1-6 In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives. Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourself instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gently and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands. For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do.

OUCH!!! This has NOT been my heart attitude toward my husband lately and Praise God for revealing this to me !!!! Humility is difficult and pride is hard to swallow... but, by the grace and mercy of a loving Father... he took my hand and led me.

Weight Watchers is looming!!!!

This year I am on a mission... I'm going to loose my extra weight !!!! (or give it a good try)... My goal is to get down to my size 6/8 that I was when Darren and I got married... I'm needing prayer cover...and accountability support... and encouragment... I'm asking my blogging sisters to keep me in their prayers... prayers for strength..and will power... And for my blogging sisters to call me out every once in a while... and to give me that tough love encouragement that is so important... I will be jumping on this WW bandwagon with a couple of my bestest buddies...so I won't be alone...but I need all the extra help, support and prayers I can get!!! I love you all and thank you in advance for your support... I am in 'pre-weight watchers' mode this week...and beginning the points counting the first of January!!! Wish me LUCK... oh yeah...prayers for Darren too!!!

Birth of a King

Luke 1: 30-33

"Don't be afraid, Mary," the angel told her, "for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Isreal forever, his Kingdom will never end!"

Happy Birthday Jesus!!!

Broken Homes

I have been thinking lately about my very unique and unusual family... those of you that know me... know exactly what I'm talking about...I come from what society would call a 'broken home'... this is not a negative in my life.. I have to say, if my mother would not have married three times in her life... I would not have half of the blessings I do have... I would not have the family.. the circle of friends... or even live in Aroostook County... I am sure I would have had other blessings in my life if my mother and father had stayed married... but I would not have changed a thing about my upbringing and my family... the past hurt/anger and pain has all brought my family to where we are today... and that is a big, wonderful and unique circle of family memebers that are just as different as they are unique..... I love them all dearly and cherish every memory I have with all of the pieces of my "broken family puzzle"

7 random Shelly-ism's

Ok Heather... you asked for it!!! 7 random things you and my blogging pal's might not know about me......

1. My favorite candy bar is a Recee Cup...I poke the center out and eat that first...then eat the outside circle of chocolate.

2. I have seen the movie "Gone with the Wind" about a million times (my favorite!)

3. Darren is my second husband... I was married for 10 1/2 years the first time.

4. I am not a real red head

Man ...am I boring or what!!!!! 3 more to go

5. I love to fly ..I love airports.. ...I would love to get my pilot's license. Too bad you need all those classes and schooling... BUMMER...

6. Both of my pinkie fingers are slightly bent in ...

7. I LOVE to have my feet rubbed...and the awesome husband that Darren is... does it for me on que.

PHEW... that was hard... I am not as interesting as I thought... but God did have to create some slightly boring creatures... we can't all be quirky!!! Thanks for the challange Heather... it was fun...

Weary and Floating

I'm not sure how to put into words how I'm feeling lately. I don't know if the events of the last month or so has just finally caught up to me or what...but I'm just feeling rundown, tired, weary and like I'm floating. I am so unsure of many things..... I feel like I'm having an inner 'pity party' ... and it's just not how I want to be. How do I get out of this funk?

Saying 'Good-bye'

Romans 8:6 The mind of a sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the spirit is life & peace.

Contorlled by the spirit.....That is the kind of mind and life my friend Dan had. Through his passing we will grieve...but his life and death will speak on...live on... and the Lord in his wonderful wisdom will use every detail of both for good. Dan's passing will not be in vain...but it will speak to a multitude of believers and non-believers and draw both to a deeper understanding of the truth and closer to Jesus. How very difficult to say 'good-bye'...but for those that know the Lord...like Dan did... will be reunited again with Dan... so it's not really good-bye, it's 'until we meet again'. I am truley blessed to have known Dan for the short time I did... He was strong in his faith, humble in spirit and a more attentive, loving, dedicated, hand's-on, caring husband and father you'll never find. As a friend...he made you feel special, loved and important to him. Bigger than all these amazing and wonderful things about Dan was his love and committment to the Lord.. What a role modle for other believers... and a witness (even in his passing) to non-believers.

We will be heartbroken for a long time to come... we grieve for our loss, but even more for his wife and two small boy's... I pray the Lord gives us strenght and wisdom in the following days, to know how to rally around Liz and her boy's...to give her what she needs, when she needs it. Lord, help us be your hands and feet for Liz, Isaac and Tyler.

Today... as I reflect on this passing week... the amazing journey it's been..sorrow, grief, thanksgiving, rejoice, comfort, and love.....I thank God for my friend Dan... I thank God for his life and his testimony... I thank God for my beautiful friend Liz and her wonderful children. I thank God for revealing his greatness, strength and love to us in this time of saddness..... And I thank God for my own life and look deeper into my relationship with Jesus and seek to know him more. Thank you Dan!