My Week In Review

In case you have been missing me, I am back. I can usually find something to write about, but not so for the last few days. That's why I've had weird posts the past few entries. I've also been very busy with family and friends, and who wants to sit in front of a computer when fun can be had with the humans you love most? Not that you all aren't humans, but you know what I'm saying, right?

Anyhow. My sister Debi flew in from Tampa to see my nephew Tyler graduate. Definitely a reason to celebrate, right? We didn't see her on Wednesday because they were all busy that day, and that night I had a LOOONNNGGG choir practice getting ready for Celebrate America.

Thursday morning, the little boys and I got dressed and went over and hung out over at Lisa's house for a while. {And let me warn you now: this post is full of names. Like Lisa. Debi. Trish. These wonderful and beautiful ladies are all my sisters. Just a little f.y.i.} She was busy listing a house, and Graham and Drew were out spending the night with D.C. so we had nothing else to do. We left, went and bought food necessities from the Walmart then came home. Jonah and Noah had a friend over and we swam. That night Debi, my other sister Trish and I went to see The Proposal. It was good. Not great, but good. A little disappointing for Sandra Bullock fans, but whatever.

Friday we ate lunch with my dad, came home and watched Hotel For Dogs {which was SO cute if you haven't seen it}. Not very interesting stuff, huh? It was hotter than Haiti outside and the boys didn't even want to swim. Gasp. That night was Beau's graduation and party. Saturday dawned way too early, because we stayed and partied till almost midnight. So that morning,we picked up Debi, she went and spoiled my kids at Target, then we came home and hung out here for the majority of the day. I had to have the boys back at church early for Celebrate America, and that's what we did for the rest of the weekend. Well, that and the video from McAllister's. Because what's a meal without a little rappin' to go with it?

We did go see some fireworks Sunday night at Bellevue Baptist Church. It's the biggest fireworks show I have EVER seen. Bigger and better than Collierville's, that's for sure. It was fun.

Yesterday I spent the morning putting my house back in order. The boys all helped me clean the upstairs and you'd be amazed at how much better it all looks. I have a couple of little boys that bring things downstairs and NEVER take them back upstairs. Ahem. Drew. Noah. Unfortunately, those are the 2 that lose everything and anything that's not tied down. Like little men. And wallets with $45 in it. But that's a whole other post. Today I am letting go of all that and focusing on the good.

That being said, I spent some great time in prayer last night and this morning. In reading my devotion this morning the main focus on this week is hope. I felt compelled to share about it because I know some of you who read this are going through some really hard times. Some of you are facing the lack of a job, some are facing health issues, upcoming surgeries, some of you may be facing infidelity within your marriage, some of you are facing issues with trust. I love this morning's verse: 2 Timothy 1:7 God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self~discipline.

He is there when things are good. He is there when things are bad. He is our strength, our rock. When everything else around us is unsure, He is one One sure thing. He never changes. He never fails. I know that me writing this and you experiencing what you're going through are 2 different things, but one thing I know about my God~He never does anything without a reason.

He may have taken you out of your workplace because you hated it. You might have felt like you were trapped and smothered in a job that you cared nothing about. Well I prayed specifically for YOU last night~and you know who you are because I talked to one of you yesterday~that God would bring a job across your path. One that you would love immensely, one that would challenge you and push you above and beyond what you ever though you were capable of doing. And I am confident He will do that. When? I have no idea, because God never does anything on our time. Maybe He's wanting you to use this time to grow closer to Him. When everything is pulled away from us, when we are stripped from all that we have~then and only then can we really know what faith is all about.

Any other reasons for feeling hopeless~He is there to carry you. He has carried me through my fair share of trials, and while I didn't rejoice in them then, I sure do now. James 1:1~4 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. I look back at what I used to be and I thank God for grabbing ahold of me and giving me a good shake. A wake up call. He uses situation and circumstances to grab our attention. So there is always a reason.

Rest assured that I pray for each one of you that reads this. Before I ever write a word, I pray over it. I always pray that God will drop something into my heart that will impression me to write out a certain verse. I hope that {along with a catch up on what we've been up to as a fam} this has brought you hope for today. Love to all.

One more verse: Philippians 4:4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again~rejoice! This morning's devotion brought that verse alive for me...it is saying to be full of joy in the Lord...not to be full of joy in our lives or circumstances, but in the Name of the Lord, to be full of joy. Because He alone gives it to us.