Ready, Ready or Not

So.....it's been a while since I have been here but let me tell you...I've just had so much going on and so many things going through my head it just never felt like the right time. 

School is officially OVER for the summer and I am loving it!  Most of you know that I am a Preschool teacher during the school year, but during the summer I get the awesome opportunity to go work with the school age kids who need daycare in the summer.  This means currently I am teaching/hanging out with 5th and 6th graders.  And we get to go to the pool EVERYDAY!

 

 EVERY.DAY!!!!!!

For those of you who know me well, you know that this is my happy place!!

So I literally get paid to sit by the pool everyday...this is my job people! I'm loving life right now.

But in all seriousness: Honestly  I have really been struggling with my word that God gave to me as few months ago. I blogged about it here.  But this word was once again brought up to me Sunday. 

DOORS

This Sunday we had the privilege of having the Executive Director of Men of Iron, Garret Barbush, speak at our church.  Men of Iron is a men's mentorship program designed to help men sharpen men and the church.

He once again brought up the topic of Doors....

Okay Lord you got my attention! 

I have been Praying about the "door" that God is trying to show me but I don't feel I have any clear answers yet.  Which to me means keep knocking. 

Anyway, he was talking about how if you had to summarize your life in six words what would they say??

Hmmmmm.....

What would my six words say? What legacy did I want to leave behind?  I know in my heart what I want my 6 words to say, but is that really what they would say? Would the word "doors" pop up in those six words somewhere?? 

Next Garret said God Can do 3 things:
1. Open doors for ANYONE
2. Open doors in any circumstance
3. Open doors very quietly
 

Okay God, so what your speaking to me is that, even though I'm not sure how this door is going to open, that it can be done at any moment? 

I knew without a shadow of doubt God was speaking to me; telling me He's got this all under control and I just needed to keep trusting Him.

And then he shared this:

"Most people will never accomplish the long term great because they settle for the short term good." – Reg Saddler

That wrecked me.

Am I just settling for the short term good because frankly it's just easier? I feel for me it's that I'm just not sure where to even begin.  I know what I want, and I feel God wants, the end result to be; but since God hadn't revealed everything to me yet it's just hard.

So, as Garret said, I'm Ready, Ready or Not and now I just need to remember to keep pressing on so I can accomplish the long term great. 

God's going to open this door I just know it and I'm so excited to walk through it in obedience and faith!


 

Here's my 6 words today Lord:

 

Open Door.Here.Ready or Not

 

Moving Forward

Sunday at church we sang a new song at church and I can't get the song out of my head.  I have been singing it all week and just really feel that God is speaking to me through this song.  What song is this you ask??  Israel Houghton's  Moving Forward...I have attached it so you can listen to it.














The bridge is the part that really has been going through my heart all week.

         You make all things new
    And You make all things new
         And I will follow You
                Forward


I just keep singing this over and over to myself.  I have been singing it at work, singing it in my car and even while cooking dinner. This song is so powerful and I feel that no matter what situation you are in that this song can apply to your life.


While I was singing this song I was overwhelmed with emotion and even choked up a few times.  My past is over!!  No matter what that may be for you, with Christ we have a new life in Him.  When we surrender our lives to Christ we are made new in Him!  Sometimes that's hard to believe that He can take our lives and make us new, but He can.  When Christ died on the cross for us, He bore all our sins upon His shoulders and we are healed in Him. 

No matter what you may be going through right now, you need to understand, that with Christ all things are made new!  All you need to do is ask.  It's as easy as that. 


The last time I posted I told you about my word from the Lord... DOORS....and I am still praying about this opportunity that God is showing me.  It's amazing how He is showing me almost daily that He has a plan and I just need to follow Him.  For me, that means, I'm going to continue to press hard into Him and follow Him forward.  I can't wait to see what He is going to show me next. 

Please continue to pray with me that I can Listen to His leading and that doors will be opened for me.  Also,  Let me know how this song has impacted you I would love to find out!!

DOORS AND BEAUTY

So....I have taken the past few weeks to reflect, refresh and listen to what God has been wanting to teach me.  I don't have it all figured out yet, but I need to let you know about what I experienced last night. 

So my church has the BEST Girlfriend's ministry around and we have what we call Breathe nights.  These happen about twice a year.....not enough in my book...but that only makes it all the more special.  You do NOT miss a breathe night......I repeat one does NOT miss one of these!  I am already looking forward to the next one while I'm still chewing on what went on last night.  Each and every Breathe night has been different and Fabulous all in one, the amount of thought that goes into a Breathe night is just awesome!  This makes them all the more exciting and special to be at.

The night  started off with worship led by a local couple, Doug and Christi Krasley, who I had never heard of before.  Let me tell you, I was there while they were practicing, and I couldn't WAIT to start the night. You need to check them out....they are amazing and you could just feel the presence of the Spirit. I was able to let go and Worship not worrying about anyone or anything, just focusing on Him!  Exactly what I needed after a busy couple of weeks.

I had been praying all day yesterday that God would speak to me through Breathe and that I would walk away feeling refreshed and renewed.  God did all that and more.  Our theme for the night centered around Beauty and I was able to hear testimonies from 3 beautiful women how God brought Beauty from Ashes.   Jess, our Girlfriend's ministry pastor, then spoke on beauty and how each and every one of us is BEAUTIFUL!  This is something I struggle with daily....as I'm sure most women do.

There were mirrors-full length I might add- scattered around the sanctuary and Jess encouraged us to go look at ourselves in it.  Then we were asked to take a piece of paper and write one thing that holds us back us from feeling true beauty....whatever that may be.  Then we looked in the mirror and say I'm not _________________ I'm beautiful and God made me that way!  I crumpled the paper up and then we buried them...literally with dirt and a shovel....at the foot of the cross!

What a freeing feeling!!  Am I still going to have days that I struggle with the word on my piece of paper?  Of course I am....I am human!!  And guess what??  That's ok.!  I know I have a smile on my face most of the time, but I'm not as confident as I come across.  God did give me the new name BEAUTY  at our Women's Conference 2 years ago, so I know this was God's way of speaking to my life and reminding me of his faithfulness to me.  We also got these cute little compact mirrors...Leopard print AND Bedazzled too...be still my heart!!  I was out setting up refreshments while Jess was explaining that there was a piece of paper inside with another "word" for each of us.  I didn't realize it was there until I got home. 

DOORS...that was my word.  What the heck was that supposed to mean?  Am I supposed to close some doors?  Open a door?  What?  Then I read the scripture verse attached to it.  Matthew 7:7-8 New International Version says

Ask, Seek, Knock

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Whoa.......tears filled my eyes and I KNEW that this was for me!  I know exactly what God is speaking to me through this and even though I can't talk about it now....know that I am going to be taking a step of faith....as soon as I figure out how!  Pray with me to know EXACTLY what God is speaking to me. And I'll look forward to the day I can share more!

PS..Let me just tell you, I walked out of  Breathe feeling like a Million Bucks ready to take on the world!  I'm asking Lord....open the Door!

I've got nothin

So....I know it's been a while since I wrote but I just have got nothin to say! SHOCKING I know, but I feel like God is just telling me to take it easy and listen.  Remember that was my "word" God gave me this year. Listening has never been a strong suit of mine.  I mean come on;  I forget people's names as soon as they said them because I'm too busy thinking about what I'm going to say next.

I'm still doing a LOT of talking...just ask my hubby...but I feel like now is just a time of quiet. While singing on Sunday at church, I was standing on stage listening to the audience singing their hearts out to God.  It was so awesome being able to worship together but as we sang "Great I Am" I couldn't help but start to cry:

           Hallelujah Holy Holy
           God almighty Great I am
           Who is worthy, none beside me
           God almighty the Great I am

There is NO ONE greater than MY God.  He is the Great I am.  Those are some good words right there!

So i feel God telling me I just need to be still for a while.  God has been teaching me some things these past several weeks and I'm not sure what to make of them.  So for now I need to just be still, listen and reflect on what He is trying to teach me.

Please pray that I can be obedient to Him in this and listen to what He is teaching me during this season.

Flinging into Spring

So...my house is all decorated for SPRING!!  It's about time..seriously....I'm soooooo ready for Winter to be over.  Yesterday on the radio I heard a commercial that said "Are you so ready for winter to be over you could punch a snowman?"  Hahaha.....yup...that's me!! 

Wreath on the Back Porch

Front Door Wreath

  

Anyway, Spring has come to the Foreman house and here is a little sneak peak from my home.  I just love the bright colors of spring and the beautiful flowers that start to bloom.  I saw some of my hyacinths peeking out of the ground this week....so it is coming!! 

Fireplace Mantle

Look What else I got growing....who knew you could grow bulbs in stones with water like this?!?!  Tulips coming soon!

I SAID NO!

I don't know what has gotten into my son lately, but I'm about done!  Seriously; this boy has been having issues at school since about Christmas.   Almost daily he comes home with a note from one problem or the other.  Is it the age??  I can't handle it, I just can't.

He is talking back to teachers, lying to teachers, arguing with teachers....do you see a pattern?!?!  Don't get me wrong, I'm really thankful that he's not bullying other students or being aggressive towards other kids, but come on....he's got to get better at taming that tongue.

First, we started by taking away privileges when he would come home with a less than stellar report.  Now, we have started giving him extra chores to do as well as still losing those privileges.  I feel like we have talked to him until we're blue in the face...all the while feeling its going in one ear and out the other.  Why the heck can't he just get it through his thick head??  Its really getting draining when its almost everyday.  If this is what 3rd grade is like....I can't WAIT *insert sarcasm here* until Middle school and High school.

The problem is its not only happening at school but at home as well.  I just want to grab his tongue and rip it out.....that and SCREAM SHUT-UP!!  Which I might definitely have done on occasion.  He just doesn't stop.  DOES. NOT. STOP!!

He constantly tries to argue his point, he NEVER takes no for an answer and always has to have the last word.

But then I think, Am I that way with God?  Do I sit back and take HIS "No" for an answer or do I grumble and complain about how my life is not how I wanted it??  How many times have I argued with God over certain situations and said I'm going to do things my way??  Ouch, that stings a little because I think that's more times than I care to admit.

I know that I have gone through some pretty low times and even questioned if God was really there.  I think that's only human that we feel that way.  But I have also come out of this knowing without a shadow of a doubt that HE is REAL and that He loves me more than I can even comprehend.

I'm sure it frustrates God when we "argue" back with Him just as it frustrates me when Garrett talks back about everything.  But it also is a good reminder to me that I need to listen and heed God's ways and trust that He has everything under control. 

So as we continue through this horrible  current stage in our lives, I need to remember that hopefully it's just a phase and that this too shall pass.

On a positive note, I am kinda enjoying the fact that the chores he's getting to do are things that I really don't enjoy doing....can't tell you the last time I cleaned the bathroom......I'll take that!

Even the Little Things

God loves us so much that He even cares about the little things....and that's a fact!





Here's my story:

I had a large braided rug under my kitchen table that my mother-in-law gave me years ago.  It was a beautiful rug and matched my kitchen perfectly!  A few months ago I noticed that it was starting to fall apart....I tried to sew it to no avail. It kept getting worse and worse and alas, I had to throw away my beloved rug.

What a bare kitchen without it!  I decided I would get a new one for Christmas.  Do you know how expensive Braided rugs are???  Whoa they are pricey....even if I would have put all my Christmas money together I still would have had to put more money towards it AND that's all I would have gotten for Christmas.  I knew that tax time was coming and knew I could wait until then.

But, remember how we decided to do a financial makeover??  Well, that meant our tax return was used to pay off debt and meant there was no money left for a rug for me.  I was bummed, but decided I would just get a cheap sisal rug and make do until I could save the money to buy a braided one.

So, you know how its been downright FROZEN this winter??  My kiddos had a two-hour delay on Friday and my normal babysitter wasn't available to put them on the bus.  I asked my mom to do it for me.  After she dropped them off for the bus she decided to swing into the local Re-Uzit shop and look around.  While there she found a huge braided rug for sale.  It was several colors of brown and was in great shape.  She looked at the price and noticed it was $25!!  TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS?!?!?!?! The rug was 11.5x 9.5!!!  That's a Phenomenal deal!! 

My mom bought it and I picked it up later that afternoon....once I got it home I realized it had a few holes, but they were all in the seams and were an easy fix.  It fits perfect in my kitchen and adds a cozy warmth to it!

My New Rug!

It might not have been the color I would have chosen, but it was the next best choice.  It's bigger than I would have bought and for $25, I didn't care.  Plus for that price its not a big loss if it doesn't last long. This story is a God story because my mom doesn't go in to the Re-Uzit shop very much, but she just "happened" to be going by because I needed a sitter that morning.  The rug just "happened" to be there and "happened" to be just what I was looking for and was a great price to boot!

I love sharing and hearing stories like this.  God knows everything about us and He even knows and cares about the small details.  He knew I wanted a rug for my kitchen, but knew that I didn't have the money to go out and buy one.  I feel this gift is God's way of blessing me for being faithful to Him.

We all know He cares about the BIG things...BUT, God cares about the little things too.  He is always there to bless us and provide for the little things. I could have just said thanks to my mom for getting me the rug and not looked any further than that. But I chose to see the blessing it was. God gave it to ME. 

How many times do we miss the blessings because we don't see them?  God has blessed us more than we can even fathom and half the time we take them for granted.  Did you wake up this morning?  Did you have a warm house, a car to drive, and food to eat??  All of these things are things we forget to be thankful for and see the blessings in them.  Your blessing might not be getting a new rug, but it could be finding shoes you need on sale or finding the purse you've been wanting at a yard sale. Take the time today to see God's blessings all around you.  Be thankful for the little things, because He really does Care...even about the little things!