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Light, Love, Hope

Light in the Darkness Surrounded by Love with Hope for those in need.

Everybody Wants To Rule The World

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You’ve probably felt inundated with political ads on Facebook and talk of politics on the news.  It seems that everybody wants to rule the world.

I’m not here to debate who is better or to sling mud on any candidate, though.

I would like to see the true person in power being shown the respect He deserves, and that person is our Lord and Savior.  It seems God has been taken out of so many things in our world today, is it any wonder the shape we’re in because of it?

Never in all of my 44 years have I seen shootings occurring so frequently all throughout the nation!  People’s lives are no longer valued, and I cannot grasp that at all.  How can people not value another person’s life?  To some, it’s nothing to just snuff another’s life right out over the smallest of things.  Why is this happening?

My daughter is on a trip right now at 19 years of age, and I worry.  Days before my daughter’s trip we heard of an abduction of a young lady at a gas station where she was forced into her car and driven to a cemetery.  There, she was shot and left for dead.  Thankfully, someone visiting the cemetery found her and called 911.  She’s in the hospital now, and they’re not sure if she will live or die – recover or be an invalid.  This is a sad world we’re living in when things like this keep happening!

Driving home on the interstate tonight, with the hard top down on my convertible, I should have been enjoying the wind blowing through my hair and the songs on the radio.  Yet, I was constantly having to be aware of my surroundings.  A thought entered my mind at one point of drive by shootings, and there I was with the top down in plain view feeling almost like a sitting duck.  It’s sad when one cannot enjoy the simple things in life without considering what “could” happen.

I know it sounds like fear grips my life or I’m in a state of worry at all times.  Not necessarily.  But, we all have to be real about what is going on in the world today.

Have you ever considered what the world would be like if we let the One who truly rules the world back in?  Non-Christians scream, “We’re offended,” which results in us removing God from so many things in this day and age.  Instead of standing as a united front, we, as a nation, cave and allow THEM power and control instead when we’re forced to take God out of everything.  Why can’t we stand up and say, “WE are offended that you’re trying to take God out of all things,” and have the power to say, “NO MORE! We will not allow it!” Why can’t we have a difference of opinion here without THEIR opinions or hurt feelings being the cause of God being removed from yet another thing?  What we truly need is GOD in ALL things!?

That’s the question.

When everybody wants to rule the world, why won’t we allow the King of Kings a place in it?  Oh if we did, what a different world it would be!

 

Rewriting Scripture

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We all know we’re not to take away or add to any scripture in the Bible.  We’re certainly not speaking of rewriting scripture, but what are your thoughts on personalizing a scripture when you’re going through a hard time?

Let’s look at Jeremiah 29:11, which is one of my absolute favorite promises from God.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.

When you’re going through an especially hard time in your life, wouldn’t it be comforting to take this verse and make it personal to you?  It’s almost as if God is speaking right to you!

Think about it!

When in doubt, hear God speaking right to your heart!

Imagine a conversation that might go something like this:

“God, I’m scared.  I don’t know where to turn, what is going to happen or how I will face tomorrow.”

“My child, trust in Me.  I have it all under control.”

“I know, God, but some times I have doubts.”

“All you need is faith as small as a mustard seed.”

“I have more than that, God, but things are just really hard in this world today.”

“I have promised that I will never leave you nor forsake you.  I mean it!”

“I believe you, God, and I feel you by my side at times when I’m struggling.  Other times, I just feel confused.”

“Listen to Me, child!  I KNOW the plans I have for you!  I’m not going to let anything harm you.  I promise to remain by your side, carrying you when needed.  You may face troubles in life, but I promise, you will prosper!  Trust in ME!  I will give you hope when you need it the most, and I have great plans for your future.  Trust me.  I already know how this plays out.”

“Yes, Lord.  I will try harder to turn it all over to You and trust in You.  You formed me with Your own hands, and I know you have great things in store for me.  I just need to be patient until You reveal these things to me in Your time.”

“It is in MY timing, not yours, sweet child of mine.”

“Thank you, Father, for your words of encouragement and love straight from Your heart to mine.”

Lists, Lists, Lists

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The leisurely days of Summer have ended for me.  No more sleeping in or waking without the sound of an alarm clock.

Having started a new job in July, my days are now filled with lists, lists, lists, and more lists it seems.  Surprisingly, I look forward to going into work and interacting with my co-workers as well as the general public.  I’m now doing something that I absolutely love; Accounting!

There are other aspects to my job, of course, but for the most part, I get to play with numbers all day.  To a number cruncher like me, that’s what dreams are made of!

In high school, I took business courses which consisted of Accounting I, Accounting II, Office Supervision & Management, Business English, Business Math, Shorthand I, and Shorthand II.   I thrived in these classes and enjoyed immersing myself in my “pretend” company I was responsible for back then.  I enjoyed sharpening my pencil and writing the figures into my ledger book.  It thrilled me to no end to see how fast I could enter those numbers into my calculator, too.  When all my books balanced, I felt accomplished and proud of myself!

Fast forward all these years later – some 27 years – and I am now managing the office and keeping the books for a well known company in town.  The books have been kept the old fashioned way, too, so it was a little intimidating to go way back on how things were done all … those … years … ago.  Yet, that is what I’ve had to do until we can get all of the information into a computer system!  We are in the process of doing just that, as we had a demonstration just this afternoon for a software program with an accounting package included.  Up to this point, I have been creating spreadsheets to get away from handwriting everything into the ledger books.  I’ve made great process and now have from January forward in the computer!

Woo hoo!  I can cross that off of my list!

The staff is absolutely amazing, too, I might add.  While I realize I’m new and just learning their way of doing things, I have been asked several times by different people within the organization how I like it and if I plan to stay.  They check in with me, and that is refreshing in and of itself!  I have never worked for a company where they thank me, and MEAN it.  They “hate to bother me” when they are the owners coming to ask for my assistance.  That is new to me as well.  I’m used to people barging into my office throwing papers on my desk covering up what I’m currently working on as they bark orders at me, even when they were not in a supervisory position!  Here, it has been so refreshing as they ask for my help politely when they are not able to figure something out on their own, and they thank me repeatedly for my assistance while letting me know how much they appreciate me being there.  They try to make sure I know I’m appreciated, and that is like a breath of fresh air!  I welcome this change in my career, and I thank God for this opportunity!

This job was pretty much dropped in my lap.  I decided, after leaving my last employer that allowed coworkers to abuse their authority and mistreat people, that I just was not going to look for another job.  I was content staying at home with my children who are growing up way too fast for my liking!  My oldest – at 19 – is in college with a part time job to help pay for tuition.  My youngest – at 11 – is going into 6th grade this year.  Time is slipping from my grasp as my babies are not babies any longer.  So, I welcomed the opportunity to stay home with them from January until July.

My oldest had a really nice class schedule this past semester that allowed us lots of time together during the day while my youngest was at school.  Then, I had the entire evening with my youngest.  I would be waiting just outside the door of her school when the dismissal bell rang, and away we would go to spend the afternoon and evening together.  I also had a wonderful Spring Break with her, and we went on so many camping trips in our new-to-us RV from March to June.  As it heated up, we decided to take a break from the trips until it begins to cool off in the Fall.  But, this summer has been packed full of family time and memory making that I will forever treasure.

Having decided not to look for another job, I did say that I would entertain a position if someone came to me with a job opportunity.  Little did I know when I said it that I would have two positions presented to me within a two week time period.  I decided to go with this position, though, as it had number crunching involved, and I live and breathe to crunch numbers!  And I am SO glad God afforded me this opportunity!

God has provided me with an opportunity that I could not resist, and I am thrilled to go into work each day now and begin to go through my list of things to do.  I have such a feeling of accomplishment with each item I’m able to strike off of my “to do” list.

 

I Fancy A Fairy Tale

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As writers, we can bring all sorts of things to life.  We can incorporate characters with good as well as evil intentions, if that is our wish with the story we desire to tell.

Today I fancy a fairy tale where the world is at total peace and everyone is spreading joy, love, and kindness.  In my fairy tale, there are not any in the kingdom with ill, hateful intentions or a black, evil heart.  There is no room for such in my world because we are too busy sharing a smile, lending a helping hand, and striving to live in harmony with our fellow man.

There are no need for guns, not that they are bad at all, but because we no longer need them to protect ourselves or our families.  We have a plentiful harvest of food so no animals are slain as a food source for us.  It is completely unnecessary, and all of our needs are met without blood being shed.

Violence does not exist, and there is never a need for anyone to be angry or lose their temper.  We have no knowledge of what the word “war” means.

We genuinely care about each other here.  Working alongside each other, we raise up our children to be Godly influences as well.  Instilling good morals and values into our children is paramount to ensure that if, some how, an evil force made its way through, our children would be unaffected by it.  The children would be shielded and protected so no form of bullying would exist.  There would not be any sex trafficking crimes or any one out there wishing to do harm to these precious little ones.

The world would not be corrupt with pornography.  There would be no need for such as men and women would remain faithful and true, focusing only on their beloved.  No “affairs” would exist, and the families would not be torn apart nor hearts shattered.  No one else would matter to them regardless of if they had a pretty face, nice figure, flirtatious nature, or wore revealing clothes.  Wedding vows would be taken seriously and an unbreakable covenant would be formed between the couple and God above.  The words spoken on their wedding day would ring out and remain true for all eternity.  There would be no room for anyone else in their line of vision or their heart of hearts, only that of their beloved.

Lies, deceit, and betrayal have no place here.  We have no knowledge of these, as we’re all faithful and true.

Children would not be involved in adult issues as the adults would strive to make their children’s lives the happiest in all the land.   Parents would have no need to divorce so the family unit would remain a safe haven for the children.

No child would ever go to bed hungry, and there would not be any abuse of any kind toward children.

Everyone would have a roof over their heads, clothes on their backs, shoes on their feet, food in their tummies, money in their pockets, and love in their hearts.

In my world, we would not know the meaning of death, grief, or mourning, as everyone would live forever.  We would not ever have to say “Goodbye” to those that mean the most to us.  There would be no more tears shed, no more heart wrenching cries, no uncontrollable sobs, and no more feeling as if we are unable to breathe due to the pain deep within our core.   We would not have to worry about any more broken hearts or shattered lives.  Our families would remain intact, and our furry friends would forever remain by our sides as well.

Ah yes, I fancy a fairy tale …

I Fancy A Fairy Tale

Fur Babies

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Last night I shared a picture of my fur babies on Facebook.  It isn’t often that I allow my furry friends to get in my bed, but I made an exception last night.  I think the look on one’s face says it all:

Fur Babies

 

Doesn’t it look like the little Teacup Yorkie is smiling?!

I have had so many wonderful pets through the years, and they have blessed my heart and life more than words can say.

You may think I am crazy after I tell you this, but currently, we have five horses (four mares and a gelding), two female pygmy goats, a male rabbit, three cats (one male and two female), and four dogs (one male and three females).  Yes, that’s right.  You don’t have to count them again.  We really do have a total of 15 pets at the moment.  Don’t worry, through, we are responsible pet owners and have all of our cats and dogs “fixed” with the exception of one male cat, as he’s not yet old enough to do so.

I’ve always been an animal lover, but never in my life would I have thought I would have 15 animals.  I’m not some animal hoarder, either.  I provide the best care possible to all of my animals, and I truly love them with my whole heart!

Those that know me personally have probably already heard about my little goat baby.  She actually belongs to my oldest daughter, but this little goat has a special place in my heart.  We almost lost her when she was just a month old.  She was pretty much lifeless when we found her, but through our tears, my entire family worked to save this little goat baby’s life.  We worked on her for two solid hours after my husband brought her lifeless body inside to warm her.  I took a quick moment to look it up on Google to try to save her, and it gave ways to bring her body temperature back up.  She was so tiny at that point and fit right in my kitchen sink.  (Again, don’t think we’re nasty, but we did what we had to do at the time, and afterwards, we bleached it real good!)  We ran warm water to fill the sink and submerged all but her head in the water in an effort to bring her body temperature back up.  Then, we placed her in warm towels fresh from the dryer and used a hair dryer to also try to raise her body temperature as we dried her hair.  We also tried to bring her blood sugar levels back up by placing a few drops of honey on our fingers and putting them in the corner of her mouth.  When these efforts did not work, we tried it all over again.  Back in the warm water she went.  We were not giving up on her!  I refused to do so.  I worked on her while crying and begging God not to take her from us.  I kept looking in her eyes and could see life in them.  I knew that although she wasn’t moving, she was still with us!  I felt it in my heart and had to keep going with the life saving efforts.  After two hours, this little goat made the sweetest sound as she cried, then flopped out of my arms onto the floor.  She was still incredibly weak, unable to stand up, but she flared her limbs around a few times, then rested her head on me.  She looked right up at me with those big beautiful eyes, and she tried a few more times to stand.  It was then that I knew God brought her back to us!  It is truly a miracle from God that she is here today, and we are so very thankful.  Although my daughter had originally named her Tory, she will forever be my “little goat baby.”

I could go on and on about all of the animals on my little farm, and I’m sure you’ll be hearing more about all of my fur babies.  But tonight, I had to tell you about a miracle from God and how He brought one of our fur babies back to us!

Goat Baby

Oh, how I love this little goat baby!

Exploring The Ordinary

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Yesterday morning began as usual without any extraordinary occurrences.  We arose from our slumber anticipating a leisurely Summer day.  All was well throughout the day until we received an evening call which changed all of that.  We went from exploring the ordinary to being thrown into a situation we’ve never encountered before.

“They’re taking Mom to the hospital.  She’s unresponsive.”

My daughter sat with a look of disbelief on her face as she repeated the words her friend had spoken a few seconds earlier.

“Where are they taking her?” I asked, followed by, “Tell him we will meet them there!”

We all sat in silence as we made our way to the hospital as we whispered prayers straight from our hearts to God’s ears.

Our prayers were interrupted mere minutes from reaching the hospital as he called back and said, “She’s gone …”

Oh, Dear God …

We rounded the corner of the emergency room parking lot, searched the people standing outside, and scanned the cars parked nearby.  There in the back of the lot was his white Acura with the door open.  We approached the car slowly as we did not see anyone inside at first.  Then we saw him laying almost lifeless himself across the seat of the car with his hand over his face sobbing deeply.  I ran to him, pulled him up out of the seat and held him close to me as he cried, soaking the arm of my shirt with his heartbreaking tears.

His mother was gone.  The only true mother figure in his life was gone.  This woman, his grandmother, stepped in when he was only four days old, to care for him.  She became his “Mom” at that point, and she raised him as her very own all these years.  At 19 years old, his heart broke right there last night and shattered into a million pieces.  We got there as soon as we could to gather those shattered pieces and hold him as tightly as our arms could.

This was most certainly not an ordinary day at all as it ended in such heartbreak and pain.  Watching our dear friend trying so hard to be strong was excruciating for us as there was nothing we could do to take this pain from him.  All we could do was hold him, pray for him, and ask God to comfort as only He can at a time like this.

One thing we know for certain is this woman left this world last night and was rejoicing with her Lord and Savior that night.  As we wrapped our strong arms around him to hold him up, Jesus opened His Almighty Arms and welcomed her Home.

None of us know when our time on this earth is through.  Let us all get our hearts and lives right so when our time comes, our loved ones will know without a doubt that we’re in Heaven as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love Is In The Air

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Love is in the air.  Do you feel it?

Floating past you seemingly unnoticed at first, then knocking you off your feet.

The tall, dark, and handsome man across the room glances at you and continues to sneak a peek hoping you won’t catch him, and yet you do.  Frozen in time for a moment, his face flushes red as he turns away only to look back at you as you’re now watching him.

And so it begins.

A soft smile forms on your lips as you look down and to the side.

Fast forward and these once shy teenagers are now older doing this thing called “Life” together.

Hand in hand.  Heart to heart.

Love has brought fourth two beautiful children.  When you didn’t think it possible to have any greater love, you became a mother!  Now, without a doubt, you know the meaning of unconditional love.

Soft cries in the night, those of your newborn baby girl.  Rushing to her side, cradling her in your arms, you look down at the face of an angel.  God’s angel.  He sent her to this earth for you to nurture, love, shelter and protect.  And she gave your life new meaning and purpose.

Years later, after trouble, adversity, tragedy, and heartache struck, God blessed you with your miracle from above.  Your heart’s desire now wrapped securely in a blanket, placed in your arms as you cry tears of pure joy at another angel God has trusted you with.

Your life feels complete.  Your family unit now whole.  And all is right in the world.

Years pass by, and your babies grow up.  One now 19, the other knocking on the door of her 12th birthday.  The pregnancy you lost never forgotten.

You reflect back, and it all seems like yesterday.  You can recall every precious moment with your baby girls, all the beautiful firsts.  And you look around and wonder where the time has gone?  Why did your babies have to grow up so incredibly fast?  It’s like you blinked, and they transformed into a grown up version of the little ones you once held hands with crossing the street.  Yet you treasure every memory you’re blessed to have, and you take way too many pictures of moments to make them last a lifetime.  Savoring every single moment in time, loving with all your might, pouring out all of yourself into your family.  Grasping every fraction of a second you can with them before they’re grown enough to extend their wings to fly.

And you dread when that day comes knowing your heart will break.  As you wave your hand high in the air at them going down the driveway while blinking back tears, the love you share with your children will remain forever.

Whether near or far, love is where you are … right there tucked inside your heart.

Forever.

And no one can take that from you.

Love Is In The Air

 

 

 

Protect What Matters Most

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The fourth of July has come and gone, and every year we hear horror stories of people injured by fireworks.

This morning I opened a news article where a 15 year old boy made a bomb out of 200 sparklers.  In the interview, his mom and aunt talked of how he did this every year.

I have to stop right there and ask the question:  WHY would you allow your child to play with fireworks and make bombs?  Why?

The mother and aunt were in tears, and rightfully so.  Their precious loved one is in critical condition, having part of his leg amputated.  As he is still in a coma, they are unsure if the boy will lose his vision as a result of the explosion.  His friend was also injured in the explosion, and he has to return to the hospital to have metal removed from his eyes.

Protect what matters most!

Do NOT allow your children to play with things of this nature.

About three years ago, my family and I decided to stay in for the 4th of July.  We purchased our own fireworks and decided to have a fun time at home celebrating.  My husband was to be the one to set the fireworks up and light them.  My daughters and I had our beach chairs reclined in anticipation of a fabulous show.  The first few fireworks were just fine, but something went terribly wrong when the roman candle fell on its side and started shooting right at us!  My daughters and I jumped up from our chairs and started running toward the house for cover.  As I tried to run, I tripped over my chair, and instantly I felt a hard metal ball hit my leg.  It stung, which only made me run faster with greater determination to get away from it.  After the roman candle was finally empty and I made sure my children were safe, I vowed that we would never, ever attempt to do fireworks at home again!  And, we haven’t.  Thankfully, I was the only one hit, and it did not penetrate my skin.

The whole ordeal was frightening, to say the least.  This incident happened with fireworks we bought at the store.  I cannot imagine trying to make one yourself and having tragedy strike.

I know the mom and aunt are living with regret today having allowed the boy to participate in such an act.  It is extremely sad that this has ultimately altered his entire life now.

Parents, please protect what is nearest and dearest to your heart – your children!  Protect what matters most!

If you want to enjoy fireworks, go to a show where the experts handle all of it – every single bit of it!  That way you and your family can kick back, relax, and enjoy the show.  There are places all over our small community offering places for the family to enjoy the 4th of July fireworks. I’m sure they are in your area as well. It just is not worth it to risk doing it yourself at home OR making firework bombs.

Pray for the 15 year old and his family, as well as his friend that was also injured yesterday.

Freedom From Shame

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Help yourself attain freedom from shame.Maybe you’re still carrying around “baggage” from something that happened in the past, or perhaps it’s a situation that you’ve just found yourself in that has you plagued with guilt and shame.  The reality is that it does not matter when it occurred.  The point is no one is immune to it.  It reaches in and attacks the very core of who we are, often times dragging our sense of self worth down with it.  I’m speaking of guilt, but more importantly, I am referring to shame.  Trust me, there is a difference in the two.

Heather Davis Nelson speaks to the heart and soul in her book “Un-Ashamed – Healing Our Brokenness and Finding Freedom From Shame.”

Shame can come from any where; often times from how you feel about your body, difficult situations you may have encountered with a boss or coworker, or even something that happened in a relationship you were involved in.  Other times, it can be something that was forced upon you, and now you are having to live with the aftermath. Extreme shame is also someone’s constant companion if they have a secret sin they are trying to keep hidden.

Ms. Nelson utilizes Brene Brown’s books in order to put her work in a biblical framework, and she explains that she does so since we live in a fallen world.  Ms. Nelson strives to address the topic of shame with hope!

Allow me to quote directly from the pages of the book as the words speak volumes:

“Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging,” writes Brene Brown.   

“Brown writes:  ‘The majority of shame researchers and clinicians agree that the difference between shame and guilt is best understood as the difference between ‘I am bad’ and ‘I did something bad.’  Guilt = I did something bad.  Shame = I am bad.’  Guilt is associated with actions while shame taints your entire identity.”

“Ed Welch, a professor and counselor at the Christian Counseling an Education Foundation (CCEF), fills this out in the following ways:  “Guilt can be hidden; shame feels like it is always exposed.”

Let me just stop right there and say THIS is SO true!  I know this section at the very beginning of her book spoke to my heart!  This was just in the first few pages, too!  Imagine what the rest of the book has in store – oh, you’re going to want to soak and bask in it!

Not convinced yet?

Allow me to share a little more, would you:

“To expunge guilt, confession and forgiveness are needed.  Eradicating shame calls for a deep and pervasive antidote, one that will strike shame at its roots and transform the way you think about who you are and the relationships in your life.”

“We wear shame like a shield, hiding who we know ourselves to be and protecting ourselves from whom we fear others could be.”

Wow!

Now let me share something that brought hope forth out of these passages:

“Through union with Christ you are clothed with honor rather than shame, made part of a community to which you will always belong, and given a kingdom that cannot be taken away.”

I have been engrossed in this book so much that my daughter came in the other day when I was reading it inquiring as to the content.  I shared some of it with her, and she would like to read this book after I’m finished with it.  I’m telling you – everyone, regardless of age, can benefit from the wisdom that is imparted in this book.

Please enter our giveaway to have your very own copy of this book sent directly to your door.  Even if you’re not struggling with any form of shame currently but know of someone that may be going through something like this, you could win this book in our giveaway to pass on to them.  That’s food for thought.  Some one out there NEEDS to hear the message this book brings forth!  Won’t you enter?

Freedom from shame!

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Caged No More

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When I saw the movie Caged No More, I had no way of knowing the serious content this movie would bring to light.  While I knew the movie was brought to us by the co-producers of God’s Not Dead and knew it would be moving, it wasn’t until the plot began to unfold that I realized this wasn’t just a movie.  No, it happens every day – whether we like to think of the possibility of it or not. It’s out there; sex-trafficking.

I have two precious daughters that, due to their age and limited exposure to the world, think everyone is honest, true, and would not harm a hair on their head.  That couldn’t be further from the truth in this cruel world.  I’ve talked with them about how just because we’re good people does not mean that everyone around us is nor do they always have the best of intentions toward us.  I’m honestly not trying to scare them or make them leery of everyone they come in contact with, but they need to know the dangers that are lurking in the dark shadows of this cold world.  They are so innocent at this point in their lives, yet some where someone is seeking to harm young girls just like my daughters.  This movie hit so close to home because I DO have two beautiful daughters who are my heart and soul, and I try with all my might to shelter and protect them.

In this movie, two young girls are taken and sold into sex-trafficking.  The thought of it is purely sickening, yet the reality is this is someone’s life!  How horrible to think of what they are enduring in dingy living spaces, dimly lit with hands of strangers touching their bodies violating them.  Oh, dear God!  Their innocence – stolen!

Several of my blogging friends have mentioned sex-trafficking on their blogs, in their Facebook messages, etc. in an effort to bring this topic that is only whispered about out into board daylight.  It isn’t someone else’s problem. It’s OUR problem as a whole.  We shouldn’t rest until every person that was forced into this form of slavery is freed!

Help us break the silence!

Please …

There are innocent victims that need you to be their voice.  Help free them.  You may think it doesn’t matter, you may not feel you have a big following to make this plea to, but every one that gets to talking HELPS bring light to this often avoided topic of conversation.  We need your help, and we need you to be their voice.

If you haven’t seen the movie, I encourage you to stop into your local Family Christian and pick up a copy.  Don’t let that be the only thing that you do, though.  Remember, it isn’t “just” a movie.  It is someone’s life!

If you suspect or know of someone that is involved in sex trafficking, please visit the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.  You can report a tip, and you can even request services.

Help spread the word.  Someone out there NEEDS your help!

Women are not objects to be lusted after, groped on, raped, beaten, used, abused, etc.  We are not here for anyone’s pleasure, certainly not against our wishes!

Speak up and speak out about this!

While I did receive a copy of this movie in exchange for a review, I feel passionately about this.  I hope you will see the urgency in this as well and vow to help do something about it!

Caged No More

Shame Game

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One of my friends posted a bikini picture on Facebook today.  It isn’t your ordinary picture, either.  You see, she posted this picture because she’s struggled with her weight after having her son almost five years ago.  A lot of men don’t understand what the problem is and why women can’t return to their pre-pregnancy weight, but women know the struggle.  Your body truly changes when you carry another human being for nine months.  It’s worth it and more though, but the struggle is real.

Along with her picture, my friend posted a very liberating status.  She’s been working out, but she realized that she will never be skinny.  She posted the picture anyway because she’s proud of the results she’s seen thus far and plans to stick with her workout routine to be the strongest, healthiest version of herself.

I can completely relate to her!

The below is what I commented back after seeing her post:

 I’m actually glad you posted this – picture and your words. Why? Because we are all so critical and hard on ourselves. This past weekend when we were in Florida, I wore a two piece bathing suit – something I have not done in many years. I have never felt comfortable in one, even being “petite” as some people have called me. I worried over my stomach, although I do not have stretch marks from having my babies. It just wasn’t a six pack no matter how much I tried working out. I worried over my inner thighs. Believe me, I have done squats, jumping jacks, etc etc etc to try to trim them down. Finally I said you know what, I’ll be 45 this year, why NOT wear that two piece? Why be so critical of myself and shy away from form fitting clothing or two piece suits … so I wore it. I posted pictures, too, although I’m pretty sure others judged me because you’re not supposed to reveal so much skin and are to be modest. I was with my husband and my daughters, and I wanted to send a message to them, too. Love your bodies and stop shaming yourselves! Do the best that you can, work hard, and hold your head up high! I’m glad you’ve done the same.

She was so kind when she responded back and complimented me on my appearance in the bikini and showed so much support.

What if we all stopped playing the shame game?

What happens when we start shaming ourselves?  We feel just awful about ourselves.  Do you think God wants this for you?  No, He doesn’t!  Instead, what if we started all appreciating the bodies that God gave us?  Our bodies are His temples, and it is our job to take good care of them.

If you’re working hard, giving it your all trying to get in shape, then I applaud you!  Keep up the good work!

If you’re just getting started working on the healthier version of yourself, I have faith that you CAN do this!

Where ever you are, even if you are just thinking you need a change and might be examining your eating habits and considering implementing a workout routine – do it!

It’s not too late.  You’re not too old.  You’re not too out of shape for it to help.  You aren’t any negative thing that could possibly come into your mind.

You can do anything you set your mind to!

This is me from this past weekend – the one in the middle with the hair tossed around, thrown up in a bun in the back, with the pink bikini top and black bikini bottoms.  Me.  The one that will be 45 years old in September.  Me.  The one that struggled to feel comfortable in her own skin for years even though people complimented me in the past on my figure.  Me.  The one that had a muffin top over her favorite jeans last year when getting together with one out-of-state friend and another out-of-country friend.  Me.  The one that decided to make a change in 2016!  Me. The one that is embracing herself!

Today I can say that I love the skin I’m in!

Weeki Wachee

Is my body perfect?  Heck no!  It’s far from it, actually.  I know I’ll never be a stick figure super model, and that’s okay!  I can be the best version of myself, though, and I can continue to work hard to encourage my children so they will stop doing the self shaming that we’ve ALL become too good at!

God formed you and I … and He does not make mistakes.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made.  That’s in a bible verse.  I like to also say that we’re beautifully and wonderfully made.  I truly believe that!

What have I done differently so I could proudly wear my bathing suits in Florida this past weekend?

First off, I started working out.  I joined this free program, and I did really well working out six days a week … up until the third week.  I started falling off the wagon.  BUT, I was seeing results, so although I wasn’t necessarily doing “their” workouts, I started finding opportunities to incorporate some exercise into my day.  Squats became my friend, and you could find me doing squats while cooking dinner, waiting on the final spin cycle on my washing machine, etc.  Also, I love weights!  While I am not one that lifts hundreds of pounds, I do enjoy hand weights while exercising.  I started with three pound weights, then went up to five pound weights, and now I am proud to say that I am using eight pound weights without struggling!  I can do lots of reps with these eight pound weights, and it feels GOOD!  As I progress, I’ll increase the weights a little more.  For now, though, I’m loving right where I am!  I am stronger than when I first started, and I love the definition I’m beginning to see in my arms.  I’m also swimming and using the pool for more workout opportunities – like doing jumping jacks, knee lifts, and running in place in the water so it’s low impact on my knees and other joints.  I also go to the pool steps, turn around, and work my triceps by going up and down in the water lifting my body with my arms, hands planted firmly on the steps.  Any opportunity I find, I use it!

Secondly, I changed the way I was eating.  I used to think that as long as I was working out and getting some form of exercise that I could eat whatever I wanted.  This is soooo not the case!  I tried Weight Watchers, as I had great success with them many years ago even when I only wanted to lose 10 pounds.  I was able to do so at that time.  When you get a little older, your metabolism starts to change making it harder to lose weight!  I thought for sure that I’d lose weight on Weight Watchers this time, too.  However, they have changed their program, and it did not work that great for me this time around.  I have since switched up and went back to the Adkins way with protein and vegetables.  I have seen more results this way.  I’m not advocating for either Weight Watchers nor Adkins, though.  You do what is best for you and what works for your body!  Once you start experimenting, it won’t take long for you to know what works and what doesn’t.  I’ve learned recently that it’s actually 80 percent what you eat and 20 percent about exercise.  Now isn’t that interesting!  And we all know that our bodies need water – we’re supposed to drink half our body weight in ounces each day.  It sounds like a lot, but it is something you can incorporate into your day.  I have a jug that I fill up in the mornings and sip on throughout the day.  I’ve been picked on about my jug, but it insures that I get my water in!

I had people approach me on diet supplements – pills and even drops.  I decided not to go that route, though.  There’s just something about it that I did not like.

But today, I can slip into a two piece bathing suit without cringing and feeling as if everyone around me – including myself – will judge me!

The third thing that I’ve changed is my attitude!!  I’m no longer shaming myself.  Even if I have a weak moment and give in to pimento cheese dip and corn chips, I will redeem myself by making better food choices the next time I reach for something!  I will no longer play the shame game, and I will not allow anyone else to force their opinions upon me either.  I love the body that God has given me and my petite frame!  I will appreciate that God still has me on this earth and has blessed me with another day with my family.  My girls are my entire life, and I thank God for every moment that He allows me to have with them.  And, I will strive to lead by example – so they will no longer shame themselves either.   All it takes is one person in a sea of thousands to say one negative thing about us, and it’s embedded in our minds and stings our hearts forever.  We need to take back the power that these negative people have had over us all this time and realize that those lies these people have told us have come straight from the devil.

Kick the habit of downing yourself and allowing others to take you down with their hateful or snide remarks also.

Show yourself some love!

This is me – loving the skin I’m in and being proud of the body God gave me!Proud

The shame game ends right here, right now!

 

 

 

Let’s Go RVing

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“Let’s go camping!” my husband exclaimed as he showed me the typical camping gear involving tents and the like.  My response was something along the lines of, “Ah, no!  My idea of camping is the Holiday Inn!”

Fast forward many years later, add five horses, and we are now officially campers!  Happy campers at that!

My husband just said over the weekend that he never would have imagined me … camping.  Well, I had to have a purpose.  While I enjoy sitting by a fire at night, my idea of fun is not going to sit in a tent in all different types of weather being miserable.   I camped in my late teens at the beach – in a tent – in 100 degree weather.  This was something I was talked into, and boy was I ever miserable.   My earlier memories from my childhood camping experiences involved raccoons that got into our trash overnight in the mountains as we knew nothing about “bear bags” at that point in time.  Then, when we tried “camping” at home in our backyard, my dad’s bull dogs got out and decided to fight right outside of our tent!  Imagine four 10 year old girls getting woken up in the middle of the night by growling and snarling with dogs pushing themselves up against your tent, then causing it to collapse on you!  Yes, this happened, and we screamed bloody murder until my dad woke up and ran outside to see what was going on.  We all ended up okay, but the horror of that event lingered on!

So no, tent camping was out!

Then the tables turned as we started venturing out into the horse world.  People camp with their horses all the time.  Some have tents, some have living quarters in their trailers, and some take a stock trailer and make it to where they can sleep in it overnight.  We considered this option, but with three of us, I knew that would not be comfortable.  The living quarters in the trailers are really tight spaces.  We looked into buying a new living quarters trailer at the beginning of the year.  They were nice, but they were also super expensive.  You had all the space in the world for your horses, it seemed, but what a tiny living area when you have two adults and a child camping with you!  We knew that option just was not going to work.  As one salesperson put it, “You have to REALLY love each other to be in that close quarters for any period of time.”  We laughed when he said it, until we saw what he was talking about.

When I said earlier that the tables turned, they did because about two years ago, I stumbled upon a good deal on a used RV!  My husband was so hesitant about this ole “fixer-upper.”  I almost had to drag him kicking and screaming to look at it.  We drove a little over two hours to look at this 1985 Georgie Boy RV.  While we knew that it wasn’t the grandest of RVs, it was perfect for what we wanted to do – camp with our horses!   I remember when we arrived how my husband reacted.  He hesitantly got out of the vehicle just to wrinkle his nose.  I asked him to just look at it and keep an open mind.  He walked into the RV, looked around, and then let me know that he was not impressed at all.  That is until the guy mentioned the 454 big block engine!  My husband’s eyes widened, and he said, “Hey, we can always take this motor out and put it in my 69 Camaro.”  We ended up buying this older model RV for little of nothing.  Then we put a little bit of money into it to make us feel better about using it.  After a while, we were ready for our first camping trip in it.

The results?

We found out that we absolutely LOVE camping with our horses!!

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We enjoyed it so much, in fact, that we decided to explore other options of possibly getting a newer RV.  When it was mentioned, I told my husband that if we did get another RV, I wanted one that we would be confident in taking on road trips even without the horses.  My goal was to have a RV that we could travel the world with, if we so desired!

And so began our search!

We looked at so many different used RVs.  From dealers to individuals selling their RVs themselves, we were just overwhelmed at the RVs and their prices!  Yikes!  To get a decent one, you had to spend a bunch of money, or you’d be stuck with a fixer-upper like we already had!  Even those were outrageously priced!  Finally we came upon an older couple that was looking to get out of camping.  The couple was in their 70s, and the man had begun to have some health issues to where he did not feel he could continue with the RV lifestyle.  His wife was emotional as she showed us the RV, spent time telling us all about it and demonstrating how the different controls worked within the RV itself, and the stories she told of their family trips together.  They had an RV as long as they could remember and took their kids on many trips, and then they started taking their grandchildren on trips as well.  The newest RV had provided lots of memories, and it was hard for her to part with it, I could tell.  But, she and her husband gave us a really sweet deal on the RV, we sold our “fixer-upper” actually making a profit off of it, and paid cash for the new-to-us RV to begin our RVing lifestyle!

We had to pinch ourselves when the couple delivered the RV to our house.  After they left, our children rushed into the RV where I fixed dinner and we ate in it the first night we had it!  We could not believe this baby was ours!

Since that time, we have gone on numerous trips with and without the horses.  I’ve discovered that although “roughing it” is part of camping at times, we do like having the amenities at the RV resorts.   We have stayed where there has been full hookups, and we have stayed where we were standalone with our generator and on-board water supply.  I do appreciate that we can have the comforts of home now in our RV!  And some of the places are extremely nice!  I have been impressed!  It isn’t a bunch of red necks sitting around a fire chewing tobacco, spitting, and drinking.  Not that there is anything wrong with this at all, if that is your thing.  We have found such joy in camping in our newer RV that we planned back to back trips not too long after purchasing it!  I’m sure some of our friends on Facebook tire of all our pictures that we share, while others have commented that they enjoy our pictures and look forward to them.

Our goal we set is to go on a trip in our RV at least once a month to justify having it.  I told my husband when we were considering buying the RV that it would not just sit in the yard unused.  And, it hasn’t!  We’ve camped with our horses a few times at places like Kings Mountain State Park, Middleton Plantation, etc., but we have also gone to places like Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Thomson, Georgia, Sevierville, Tennessee, and now we will soon be embarking on a trip to Crystal River, Florida!  We are so excited!

Now we can hardly wait for the other to say, “Let’s go RVing!”

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