Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Good Morning all . . . just a short note this morning. It's funny how one statement from a person of authority can affect your day. Then I recognize that my Heavenly Father is my ultimate authority and that makes it all better . . . Thank you Lord for your incredible Grace and reminder of your never-ending Love :)
Friday, May 4, 2012
Today is the first day of the rest of my life . . .
Well, I guess it starts today! No better time than the present, right???
For whatever reason, I feel compelled to do this. Maybe nobody will ever read these posts, but I have been so blessed and feel an incredible need to share!
The last 40 years have passed so quickly. I grew up in a financially poor family but a family rich in Love and hugs. :)
I was the oldest of four girls, well five really (Barbie passed when I was 6 and she was 3. My living sisters are Jennifer, Patricia and Amanda (in that order.) My mom is Linda and my dad was John (He passed in 2000.) My dad worked every day of the week. He gave all of us an intense desire to work hard and be loyal to our employer. Of this, I am very grateful.
I met my husband when I was 15, I knew immediately he was my soulmate. We were together for 3.5 years before our first son Lee was born. We were married 6 months later. There is a great deal more to this 3.5 year courtship, but the cliffnotes version will do for now. . .
I grew up in the church but there was a meltdown which caused my family to walk away. It was very sad looking back on it now, to place your hopes and Faith on a building and it's congregation rather than the God which holds it all together. But it was what it was . . .
My husband and I went to Church in our teens together, but when we were married we took a sabbatical. One which would serve to make life very difficult in the years which followed. . . God was still faithful, even through the days when I wasn't.
The year after my first son was born, my husband joined the Navy. One of the best things he ever did for himself when we look back on it. It was so difficult during the experience. I have a great deal of respect for military families. They serve in such an amazing capacity. I am very grateful for those who sacrifice their lives, their families and their time away from family so that I can live in a free country.
Two and a half years later, my 2nd son was born. Being a mom has served to be one of the greatest accomplishments of my life. God has so blessed me with 2 beautiful children who have beautiful hearts. I am so thankful for their impact on my life. My only regret is that it was too short . . .
My husband was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1995. He was set to be an officer, but he felt a calling instead to be a full time husband and father. I was very thankful for this sacrifice he made so we could be a family. Again God is so Faithful.
I currently work with a Mechanical Contractor in Duluth. This was another amazing blessing which I must share. You see, I worked for a Sheet Metal fabricator in Oakland, California. Before my husband was discharged I decided that I wanted to work for a Mechanical Contractor. The multi-facets of the organization were interesting to me. So I sent my resume down to the Atlanta office and asked them to pass it around. I received one phone call, from the then controller who interviewed me over the phone. We talked for about 45 minutes or so and he scheduled for someone to come meet me in California in person. The day of the "meeting", I came down with a fever of 103 but still managed to show up at the designed time. He did not. Which ended up being another blessing in disguise. Honestly if he had, I would not be where I am. So I called the controller who asked, "Well when can you start?" So the day after July 4th in 1995, I started working at an incredible place to work. Another great blessing of which I am thankful.
Through the years, we watched our children grow and we also grew in our careers. I went back and forth about the whole working mom thing. But honestly, I felt like I was a better mom working and spending quality time after hours then one working from home. It was a personal decision which I felt God asked of me. Understandably, everyone is different :)
About 10 years or so ago I felt a calling to be back in Church. I was sharing with a friend today that it is so funny how things work out. I remember going to my current church now when they were a small church on Collins Hill, then again when they were in a larger church on Buford Drive and now we are full time attendees at 12Stone in Lawrenceville. I spent 4 years trying to convince my husband of my need to be back in Church. After 4, I stopped trying to convince him and started praying. Apparently, God is much better at convincing than I am :) It was awesome to watch my husband take a stand and bring his family to the Church.
In the last 5 years, the family who had to "decide" whether to get up on Sunday morning became the family who never miss unless we are out of town and even then we have to share in the online service (thankfully we have one . . . ) Why do you ask? Well this is where the real story begins . . .
So 41 years or so ago, my Heavenly Father created me. He created me to be a part of something much bigger than myself. I have often heard it called "The Living Tree." What is that exactly? Well consider a tree . . . the roots, the trunk, the branches, the leaves / flowers . . . We are all part of a living spiritual connection which is connected to our Heavenly Father who created us for His Glory.
I was saved when I was about 12. I was baptized about 4 times I think. I suffered from the "guilt syndrome" which caused me to feel the need for "continuous cleansing" after. I remember in my teen years feeling like I just didn't want to be tied down to rules and didn't want someone telling me what life to live. Remember the sabbatical? Well that was just one of those decisions I guess I had to experience "OUCH!" I actually went to Christian School for 3 years, memorized many Bible Verses, Christian Songs but didn't know what to do with any of them. . . During those years; however, I do remember that my dad carried such incredible faith and it was amazing to watch him witness to people. To this day I will never forget the Saturday afternoon Church Bus visitations . . .
It's really been about 5 years since I have really started to seek God in my life again (remember He has been with me all along, it was I who walked away . . .) And what has followed has been such an incredible journey . . .
We, as a family, started going to 12Stone after they moved into the new building. It was a rebirth for them and for me / our family. Slowly we started to integrate ourselves into this 12,000 people congregation. And I feel more ingrained and closer to God than any other Church, small or large which I have been a part of. You see, I am learning to seek God. I am learning that God is not in a building, but instead in the hearts of the inhabitants which fill the building. I am learning that God created us to Love us and to give us a life beyond anything we could ever imagine.
Through Small Groups, Serving and my next step . . . To find a Paul to my Timothy. I am working to become the Godly daughter of God which He has designed me to be. Never perfect, but always striving to be more like Christ. So that one day I can face Him and He will say . . . My good and Faithful servant . . .
Have a great week!
Well, that's all for now.
For whatever reason, I feel compelled to do this. Maybe nobody will ever read these posts, but I have been so blessed and feel an incredible need to share!
The last 40 years have passed so quickly. I grew up in a financially poor family but a family rich in Love and hugs. :)
I was the oldest of four girls, well five really (Barbie passed when I was 6 and she was 3. My living sisters are Jennifer, Patricia and Amanda (in that order.) My mom is Linda and my dad was John (He passed in 2000.) My dad worked every day of the week. He gave all of us an intense desire to work hard and be loyal to our employer. Of this, I am very grateful.
I met my husband when I was 15, I knew immediately he was my soulmate. We were together for 3.5 years before our first son Lee was born. We were married 6 months later. There is a great deal more to this 3.5 year courtship, but the cliffnotes version will do for now. . .
I grew up in the church but there was a meltdown which caused my family to walk away. It was very sad looking back on it now, to place your hopes and Faith on a building and it's congregation rather than the God which holds it all together. But it was what it was . . .
My husband and I went to Church in our teens together, but when we were married we took a sabbatical. One which would serve to make life very difficult in the years which followed. . . God was still faithful, even through the days when I wasn't.
The year after my first son was born, my husband joined the Navy. One of the best things he ever did for himself when we look back on it. It was so difficult during the experience. I have a great deal of respect for military families. They serve in such an amazing capacity. I am very grateful for those who sacrifice their lives, their families and their time away from family so that I can live in a free country.
Two and a half years later, my 2nd son was born. Being a mom has served to be one of the greatest accomplishments of my life. God has so blessed me with 2 beautiful children who have beautiful hearts. I am so thankful for their impact on my life. My only regret is that it was too short . . .
My husband was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1995. He was set to be an officer, but he felt a calling instead to be a full time husband and father. I was very thankful for this sacrifice he made so we could be a family. Again God is so Faithful.
I currently work with a Mechanical Contractor in Duluth. This was another amazing blessing which I must share. You see, I worked for a Sheet Metal fabricator in Oakland, California. Before my husband was discharged I decided that I wanted to work for a Mechanical Contractor. The multi-facets of the organization were interesting to me. So I sent my resume down to the Atlanta office and asked them to pass it around. I received one phone call, from the then controller who interviewed me over the phone. We talked for about 45 minutes or so and he scheduled for someone to come meet me in California in person. The day of the "meeting", I came down with a fever of 103 but still managed to show up at the designed time. He did not. Which ended up being another blessing in disguise. Honestly if he had, I would not be where I am. So I called the controller who asked, "Well when can you start?" So the day after July 4th in 1995, I started working at an incredible place to work. Another great blessing of which I am thankful.
Through the years, we watched our children grow and we also grew in our careers. I went back and forth about the whole working mom thing. But honestly, I felt like I was a better mom working and spending quality time after hours then one working from home. It was a personal decision which I felt God asked of me. Understandably, everyone is different :)
About 10 years or so ago I felt a calling to be back in Church. I was sharing with a friend today that it is so funny how things work out. I remember going to my current church now when they were a small church on Collins Hill, then again when they were in a larger church on Buford Drive and now we are full time attendees at 12Stone in Lawrenceville. I spent 4 years trying to convince my husband of my need to be back in Church. After 4, I stopped trying to convince him and started praying. Apparently, God is much better at convincing than I am :) It was awesome to watch my husband take a stand and bring his family to the Church.
In the last 5 years, the family who had to "decide" whether to get up on Sunday morning became the family who never miss unless we are out of town and even then we have to share in the online service (thankfully we have one . . . ) Why do you ask? Well this is where the real story begins . . .
So 41 years or so ago, my Heavenly Father created me. He created me to be a part of something much bigger than myself. I have often heard it called "The Living Tree." What is that exactly? Well consider a tree . . . the roots, the trunk, the branches, the leaves / flowers . . . We are all part of a living spiritual connection which is connected to our Heavenly Father who created us for His Glory.
I was saved when I was about 12. I was baptized about 4 times I think. I suffered from the "guilt syndrome" which caused me to feel the need for "continuous cleansing" after. I remember in my teen years feeling like I just didn't want to be tied down to rules and didn't want someone telling me what life to live. Remember the sabbatical? Well that was just one of those decisions I guess I had to experience "OUCH!" I actually went to Christian School for 3 years, memorized many Bible Verses, Christian Songs but didn't know what to do with any of them. . . During those years; however, I do remember that my dad carried such incredible faith and it was amazing to watch him witness to people. To this day I will never forget the Saturday afternoon Church Bus visitations . . .
It's really been about 5 years since I have really started to seek God in my life again (remember He has been with me all along, it was I who walked away . . .) And what has followed has been such an incredible journey . . .
We, as a family, started going to 12Stone after they moved into the new building. It was a rebirth for them and for me / our family. Slowly we started to integrate ourselves into this 12,000 people congregation. And I feel more ingrained and closer to God than any other Church, small or large which I have been a part of. You see, I am learning to seek God. I am learning that God is not in a building, but instead in the hearts of the inhabitants which fill the building. I am learning that God created us to Love us and to give us a life beyond anything we could ever imagine.
Through Small Groups, Serving and my next step . . . To find a Paul to my Timothy. I am working to become the Godly daughter of God which He has designed me to be. Never perfect, but always striving to be more like Christ. So that one day I can face Him and He will say . . . My good and Faithful servant . . .
Have a great week!
Well, that's all for now.
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