Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Ready to Receive

*****UPDATE:
God is faithful! I got my word - and it was good too!!!
***
Malachi 3:16
16 Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.

This is one of my favorite scriptures. It makes me think of my bible study peeps. Tonight is bible study and we are coming to the end of another study. I ADORE my bible study group and I always have a little extra skip in my step on bible study day. To read this scripture and think that the Lord is so delighted with our sharing about Him, to know that he listens, the KJV says He "hearkens". What a great word. It means to listen with attentiveness. I get so fired up thinking He listens and then to know that a scroll of remembrance is written about us in His presence is almost more than I can bear!! My heart is so full right now and I have been asking for a word and I think I just might get me one tonight!
Kay Arthur is giving the lesson and if you have ever heard her teach you know that lady can "bring it". I just want be a vessel that is ready to "receive it"!!
Blessings,
Michelle

Sunday, April 18, 2010

A Grateful Heart

What a crazy week we have had. This past Wednesday my sweet Mama was involved in an accident that could have been a tragedy. Check out this link:
http://www.ktbs.com/news/bridge-in-claiborne-parish-caves-in/

Two eighteen wheelers crossed a bridge on a country highway that my Mama travels frequently. After the second truck crossed the bridge it collapsed to a depth of about 6 feet. A car traveling about two miles ahead of Mama drove across it first as you could not see it had collapsed until it was too late. She bounced down the highway and finally came to a stop, called 911 and flagged down a little mini cooper coming toward her to tell it to stop. As the two drivers were talking to each other and 911 on the phone, they heard my Mama's car approaching. The mini cooper turns on its flashers and is headed toward her to try to get her to stop, the other lady is waving like crazy and my mama thinks there must be a wreck up where they are. Without even seeing it she hits the bridge, goes airborne and comes down broadside on the little mini cooper ( my mama drives a big SUV) and both of them go into the ditch. My husband and I drove straight there and both of us just stood in disbelief. The Hand of God and His angels was so evidently all over that scene that all we could do was say "Thank You Lord, Thank You."
My husband and I spent a lot of time thinking and talking about the accident. We both kept saying how good God is. However, we also know that had that day turned out differently for our family our God would be NO LESS good to us. I cannot imagine my life without my mother. She is , well she is just MY MAMA!!!! You know what that means. But none of us knows what this life holds for us, but if we are in Christ we DO know what the future holds. Eternity with Him, Hallelujah! I cling to that.
I have lived a tragedy with the loss of my brother to a car accident with my Daddy and my Step-Mom(I hate that label but thought I needed to clarify so no one is confused). It was awful and everything that one can imagine an unexpected tragedy to be. But, our feet had to hit the ground every day even when we didn't want them to and we had to keep living. I am in awe of my dad and Lila. They are two of the strongest people I know and have taught me more about faith than they will ever know they have. They keep living, serving, trusting, and hoping. Hope and knowledge that one day we will all be together again with my brother and our Savior.
We are all so thankful that Mama and the other two involved were spared that day. That God was not ready for them yet. That means they have much to do yet on this side of eternity. I know my mama is full aware of that. We talked at length about it this weekend. She is so wise and loves her Lord so much that she is already seeking for answers that way.
My heart is heavy this morning with gratitude that I was able to sit on my mama's back porch with her yesterday morning talking about our Lord. And I will be eternally grateful for a God that is good because of Who He is, NOT What He does. But everything He does is a blessing and I thank Him profusely for them.
May your day be blessed!
Michelle

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Randomness

Oh how I love lazy Saturday mornings! Sitting in my chair drinking 20 cups of coffee and enjoying the fact that my house is clean and I really don't have anything pressing down on me to get done today. I am a porch monkey and love being on my porch more than anywhere (except my mama's back porch) but the pollen is still so awful you can't bear to be out there longer than 10 minutes. I am ready for summer and long days in the pool with my kids and grandpeeps. It will be here soon.


Baby girl and I are doing the Couch to 5K challenge and the first two weeks went great but then I got the most awful pain in both my knees that I could hardly stand to bend them and I looked 80 when I walked. So after a lot of gnashing of teeth and being frustrated that here I was trying to make a healthy change in my life and being stopped dead from our training, I found out it is just related to my running shoes. Apparently it does matter about the kind of shoe you wear and your foot anatomy. So I am walking again and will be running again by next week. Some days I wonder if exercise is worth it, but then I am reminded that beginning is the hard part and I need to stick with it. Perseverance. Running the Race. Throwing off all that hinders me (20 year olds that whiz past me hinder me and make me sick!). Looking forward and knowing that even in the mundane things of life like exercising, my God gives me strength where I am weak.

This post is quite random but I think my day shall be also. I stole a gadget from my friend over at Shiny Boxes on a devotion site called The Internet Cafe. Click on it and check it out. I love devotions and never tire of reading them. Hope everyone has a blessed day.