My "Deer" Grandmother

Slowly, you are getting to know me.  Post by post you piece together who you think I am and what you have learned about me.  You know that I am a God-fearing wife and mother and that I try to maintain a positive attitude no matter what the situation.  Those are the easy things to figure out.  However, there's still a lot that you don't know.

Would you ever guess that I go hunting?  I do.  Not only do I go hunting but, I really enjoy it.  When I took my hunter's education course (with a classroom full of boys) I got the highest score, not bad.  In fact, I wish I were whitetail deer hunting right now.  Nonetheless, when you have children and limited vacation time hunting takes a back seat.  So, instead of dressing warm in my camouflage bibs and hunting boots, I put on my dress pants and necklace and head to work.

I grew up in a family of hunters.  Although most of the women in my family did not hunt one woman in particular showed me that it is more than alright for a woman to hunt.  I can still see all 5 feet of my gray-haired grandmother geared up with her shotgun and hunter-orange ready for a kill.  If you have ever seen my grandma you know that's a funny sight.  She enjoyed going out into the woods as much as she did cooking Sunday dinner.

Grandma will be 80 years old in a few days.  (Our birthdays are 3 days apart and fall during the biggest hunting week of the year where we live.  Coincidence?  I don't think so.)  However, this year, instead of us enjoying our time in the woods I will be at work and Grandma will be at home.  Although, she gets around great and could probably still go hunting, she is after a different kind of prey these days.  Grandma is battling melanoma.  Melanoma or no melanoma, my Grandmother is an amazing woman.  I am grateful that I have those memories of her with her hunter-orange hat with furry ear flaps.  (Just picturing that makes me smile.)

Good luck to all the deer hunters out there this week and be safe!

My Grandmother and Grandfather over 20 years ago.

The Fortune Cookie Quote

Photo via

 

"Soon you will be sitting on top of the world"

That's what the paper inside the cookie read as I pulled it out.  Of course, I take fortune cookie advice as seriously as a I take my Husband when he says he might do the dishes.  However, this particular piece of advice got the teeny wheels in my brain turning.  That fortune cookie was already true in a few ways.  Everyone views the world differently, in a sense we each live in our own world.  

My world
Perhaps I would soon be sitting on the top of my world.  Reaching my goals and striving to be the best version of me.  Being 'at the top of my game' so to speak.

My children's world
To my children, I am most of their world along with my husband.  I am privileged to be sitting on top of their world and guiding them through it day by day.  It's a blessing and challenge that I take very seriously.

My husband's world
I don't have to question whether I am at the top of my husband's world.  He lifts me up to the top everyday.  He gives me support as I do him.

My God's world
I like to think that this fortune cookie is telling me to 'keep up the good work' and to strive for more.  Everyday I try to climb a step closer to God's world, some days I stumble and fall back a step or two but, with God's grace and my determination I will make up for any falls and reach higher the next day.

This 'worldly' world
Say that three times fast!  Living in this world is just as difficult as saying it.  I know I will never sit on top of this world, nor would I ever want to.  I do not want to fall into the lies and corruption of this world.  Besides, I'm already closer to the top of other worlds that are a lot more important.

So is it true, "Soon you will be sitting on top of the world"?  Well, I guess I would say it just depends on who's world it is.  I know which world I want to be at the top of, do you?

Budget Thanksgiving Decor: Twigs

As I said before, on my post about decorating with leaves, I'm always looking for cheap ways to decorate my home.  I have so much fun finding new ideas.  Today I'm going to share some ideas for using twigs out of the yard.

First I went out and clipped some long stray shoots that had grown out of my forsythia bushes.  (Nobody tell my husband I was actually glad the bushes were not trimmed!)  I brought the clippings inside and placed them in a cute crock I have.  Some forsythia leaves have started turning a beautiful rusty color and mixed with the green they are a gorgeous natural bouquet.

Next, I walked over to my lilac bush and snapped off a couple of twigs.  When I brought them in I added them to a slightly smaller crock for a whole different look.  I love the way it turned out!  Best of all it was free (I already had that crock too) and it was so easy.

My free twigs have added so much to my home.  I challenge you to go out and find things in your yard that will add the perfect touch to your Thanksgiving decorations.

Happy Thanksgiving and God bless you all!

Budget Thanksgiving Decor: Leaves

I'm always looking for cheap ways to decorate my home.  Then again, I never want my home decor' to look cheap.  It's a challenge I enjoy.  So, I am going to share a couple of my ideas for cheap Thanksgiving decorations, today it's all about leaves.

If your yard is like ours this time of year leaves are anything but scarce.  The battle of falling leaves is not easy to win so you might as well enjoy some perks of those leaves.  Take your children outside and challenge them to find the biggest and best leaves they can find.  Children love having an opportunity to go outside and hunt for something.

Once your 'team' has found the biggest and the best bring them inside and think of creative ways to use them around the house to decorate.  They are perfect fillers, add warm colors and remind you of the fun you had picking them out with your children.

Here's a picture of the corner cupboard in my dining room.  My children's leaves added a perfect touch!

 

Do you have any leaf decorating ideas?  I love to hear about other creative ways to use everyday materials.  Share them as a comment below or leave a link to your post about budget decorating for Thanksgiving.

Have a blessed and beautiful Thanksgiving!

Open My Eyes Lord

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. Psalms 119:18
This was my Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day today.

Instantly it reminded me of the song "Open The Eyes of My Heart Lord" so I decided to go to YouTube to listen to it.  The video below is what I found!  This blind, autistic child can 'see' more than most people.  He loves the Lord and it is visible.

Description from YouTube...
"Christopher Duffley is an amazing kid with an AMAZING God! Born premature, blind, and autistic, Christopher was adopted by his parents before they realized God has gifted this young fellow with the gift of music!"

(To go straight to Christopher singing start the video at the 3 minute mark.)

Please visit Christopher's website at:  http://duffley.com/christopherduffley.html



Praise God and pray that he 'Opens The Eyes of Your Heart'.

Plucking My First Gray (Out of my Life)

So last week I wrote about the gray area of our lives and I promised I would share with you the story of me ‘plucking my first gray’.

Photo via

What I placed into the gray area:  The lottery.  I played the lottery at work with about 13 other women.  Harmless fun or a bad decision? 

Why I placed it in the gray:  I wanted to ignore it, I didn't want to know if it was wrong.  If it was wrong I wouldn't have a chance to win money!

Justifying my actions:  "It's only $2 a week", "It is harmless fun", "It don't specifically say don't gamble in the Bible" or this one is my favorite, "Everyone else does it". 

The real reasons I wanted to play:  Money!  I was hoping I was going to get a lot of money and not have to do anything to get it.  That's the reason why people play the lottery, right?

Let the battle in my mind begin!

The first scripture I found was... All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. (Proverbs 14:23).

Great!  The Bible is telling me that by talking of winning the lottery and not working for that money I am actually making myself more poor!  This explains a lot.  Well, I just won't talk about winning, I will play humbly.  I work hard for the money I spend on the lottery, that must count for something.  It would be really nice to win.

The stingy are eager to get rich and are unaware that poverty awaits them. (Proverbs 28:22)

I won't be stingy, I will share my wealth if I win.

Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. (1 Timothy 6:9)

I really don't think that by playing the lottery I will fall into further temptation.  (Now I am arguing with scripture, we all know that never turns out good.)

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Luke 16:13)

I would never put money above God!  (Then again, here I am arguing with scripture so I can win money.)

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10)

Ok, I think I know my answer now.  It is not that big of a deal to quit the lottery.  I have a larger chance of getting struck by lightening than winning anyway.  I don't need grief in my life.

Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth. (Proverbs 10:4)

Photo via

God is not saying that he don't want me to be wealthy, he just wants me to work for it.  If I do that, he will bless me with wealth.  I could continue to spend $104 a year on a dead-end mission and risk my chance for an amazing eternal life or I could just quit the lottery, save some money and have no regrets.  My decision was made.

However, you can bet (pun intended) that as soon as you make a decision to favor God, opposition will arise.

When I wrote the email to tell my co-worker that I no longer wished to be in the lottery she immediately sent me a message back saying, "Are you sure?  We are going to win someday, I just know it!"  She had no idea the battle that had been going on in my mind or that the devil was using her.  I just replied back, "Yes, I'm sure.  Thank you".

Wouldn't you know it that in the time since I made my decision I have heard comments everyday, "when we win the lottery", "I know we are going to win soon", "I can't wait until we win the lottery".  Sometimes it happened up to three times a day!  I have never heard my co-workers talk about the lottery that much in the three years I had worked there! 

Does, it make me question my decision?  Not really, it actually confirms my decision.  I obviously made the devil very made because he has been working hard to change my mind.  Not happening, I am going to be blessed!  I know the devil hates that!

Thank you Jesus for guiding me through this decision.  Dear Lord, there are others out there that need your guidance, please lead them to the answers they seek.  Let the gray clouds depart and the glory of God shine through.  Amen.

Have you plucked a gray yet?

You Already Are Whatever You Want to Be!

This is not what I had planned for today, but when something higher takes over we must obey.  Enjoy.

I read an amazing quote today… 

It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not. 

Wow, let's read that one again! 

It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not. 

This quote has lit a fire under me today!  Let’s have some confidence today, shall we.  I am determined to be a better person.  I will be the person that God seeing when he looks at me.  I have a lion inside of me that is waiting to roar.  No one can hold me back except for myself.  The devil will try, he will send his soldiers, but by the grace of God I will be who I was created to be! 

I have been told nothing is impossible!

Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27) 

I have been told to ask and have the confidence to know he hears me!

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (1 John 5:14) 

I have faith!

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

I work hard!

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters… (Colossians 3:23) 

I have my mind in the right place!

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:2) 

I have a Lord that will bless whatever I do as long as I follow him!

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither - whatever they do prosper. (Psalms 1:1-3)

What are you waiting on?  If you believe you are to be something greater then claim it!  Say it right now!  I can’t hear you, say it louder!  What are you?  Who can stop you? 

It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.  There is nothing you are not!  You are!  You are!  You are!  Now go get ‘em! 

If you feel led please leave a comment with an encouraging word for someone else, you will be blessed for it.

Photo credit: http://teen.theperformancemagazine.com

Pulling the Grays Out (of my Life)

When you try to live your life for God some decisions are easily black or white (wrong or right), while others fall into the ‘gray area’.  It’s that gray area that can get us into trouble if we’re not careful.  People today (including me) place more and more of their decisions into the gray area. 

How the gray area is commonly used…

A scenario is placed in the gray area and ignored while we try to justify it in our minds.  Meanwhile we keep acting on it as if we believe it is alright.  If it's something we enjoy we overlook the fact that it may be wrong.  If we don't do the research than we cannot be fully held accountable, right?  Wrong. 


How the gray area should be used…

The gray area is meant to be a temporary holding place.  A scenario is placed into the gray area until it can be researched and decided upon whether it is truly is right or wrong.  Once that is determined it can be placed into the black or white category.  Sometimes this research is assisted by the Bible, family members, a pastor or a mentor.  Other times we already know the answer but, find it difficult to place it in the black category, because it is something we enjoy.

If you question something enough to place it into the gray area you are admitting that you know it may not be the right decision to make.  You must prove that it is a good decision or it should be labeled black, period.  Not justify it, but prove it.

I will be the first to admit it, the gray area is easy.  That's why we like it.  It is hard for me to place something that I love in the black, it feels so final.  However, I have decided that no one will make my life a success except for me and the Lord.  If I do everything in my power to better myself and please him, I will be backed by a power that is out of this universe.  Not everyone can say that!  Oh wait… yes they can!  Start a better life for yourself today.  Successful people do not operate in a gray area, they make decisions and so should you.  No decision is too small, but the consequences could be colossal.  Remove the grays out of your life and let your light shine!

My next post will take you with me as I 'pluck' my first gray.  I will be posting it soon.  Until then, what are some gray areas in your life or some things you have moved out of the gray area?