Looking back and forward...

This morning, I am in my happy place (my kitchen) sipping coffee and reflecting on 2014.  This year has flown by, and has taken many twists and turns. It has been a year of great success for my kids and my "bonus kids".  For those of you who don't know - my "bonus kids" are the three I have known for most (or all) of their lives and love like my own.  They have lived in my house, celebrated birthdays and holidays, my kids consider them their brothers and sisters.  So... this has been a great year for all six! Just a few of the milestones - one turned 16 and got his first truck, one made the high school volleyball team, one got engaged, two have gotten their own apartment/house and one has gotten baptized and recommitted his life.  For me...I have gotten a promotion at work and have successfully completed another year of college while working and raising kids.  All in all - 2014 has been a great year!

2014 was also a year of firsts!  The BIG first...this was the first year spending Christmas without my sister in 43 years (my whole life)!  For some, that may not seem like a big deal - but...it is for me!  All who know me, know I do not like change - at all!  I didn't realize how much I missed my sister being there until at Christmas dinner mom was telling a story, and I realized I needed my big sister for support and for her to take my side (because I know she would have). It was the first Christmas Eve in 9 years that I did not sit in between my sweet nieces at the Christmas Eve service.  It was the first time since B has been born that I was not with her on her birthday.  On the flip side, it was the first Christmas Eve J and I had a nice Christmas Eve dinner with my parents.  It was the first time in 9 years that C & K were able to attend the Christmas Eve service with us (because we changed the service attended).

As I look ahead to 2015 and what it may hold, I am excited.  I am excited about having met new people and reconnecting with old friends, and seeing how those relationships grow. I am excited about my job, and the differences I can make in helping entrepreneurs succeed and about new co-workers joining our team. I cannot wait to see how my kids grow this year - C will start his senior year of high school and K will get her driver's permit.  Yep... this is gonna be a big year!  

As I think about all of the things to come in 2015, I know that I must turn it all over to God and trust in His timing (not my own). I know nothing great can be accomplished without Him.  So, I will pray on a daily basis that I am living my life according to His will and I will remember Philippians 4:6...

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Happy New Year y'all!

Giving thanks..

As I am sitting in my favorite spot this morning, my house is quiet, the kids are still in bed, my daddy is here visiting, the dogs are playing. I have a job I love, and the people I work with are awesome. Yes... all is good in my little part of the world. I have so many things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, but most of all I am thankful for my friends and family that love and support me unconditionally - there is nothing better!

Friendships are truly a gift from God - we should always be there to support one another and build each other up.  They give us so many things we need - encouragement, love, and honesty (even when you don't want to hear it).  Friendships take time... you have to nurture them, and invest time and energy into them if you want them to grow. Yesterday, I talked to a friend I had not talked to in over 20 years - we started talking, and picked up where we left off. It  was awesome to see the things that God has done in his life.  It was even more awesome, knowing that maybe - just maybe - you and your family had a small part of being the positive influence. Honestly... I could not be more proud of him and the things he has accomplished in his life. I am so very grateful that I still have awesome friendships from every time in my life!

As for my family - I think I have the best one around!  The older I get, the more I appreciate everything my parents have done for me and my kids. And.. I know I should tell them more often that I love them and thank them for everything they do.  My kids... well they are amazing!  Not only do I have three amazing kids that are mine - I have three "bonus" kids that I have the privilege of loving on every day.  There is nothing better than Sunday night family dinners that are full of laughter, surrounded by people you love.

This holiday season... I encourage to spend time with family and friends, give great big bear hugs (they're the best) and be sure to tell everyone how much you love them!

Happy Thanksgiving!

"O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good"

1 Chronicles 16:34

Relationships and Friendships

Have you ever noticed (especially when you are single) everyone around you tends to have relationship advice?  Everyone knows exactly what you need, and exactly what you are missing in your life.  It's funny... everyone around you wants you to be happy.  They want you to have that someone special in your life.  Honestly...they mean well, they want to be sure you are getting everything you want out of life, and they simply want you to have the same happiness they do.  These types of people are the ones you want in your life - they are the ones that love you and only want what's best for you!

Everyone says that the best relationships start with the best friendships first...while I am sure that is a true statement, there are also times in life where you have truly found your best friend... that's all.  So, when you find that one person that you truly enjoy spending time with, that makes you smile, that loves your sarcastic tone and they not only tolerate but love your crazy kids.  This person is the one who confronts you when you make bad decisions, and they are your biggest cheerleader and supporter. Why take the chance of messing it up with the "other" stuff? The "other" stuff is what adds the possibility of losing your best friend. Then...you also have the possibility that you really could be missing out on the relationship of a lifetime - the one you have always dreamed about.

I guess my point in all of this is... there are times in your life where you may make decisions that everyone does not agree with, they make think you have not thought the process through. Decisions may be made that even your are unsure of - all you can do is surround yourself with people you love, ask them to support your decision and pray that your are living out God's will.

Today...I know I am blessed by having the best friends and family around!

My Granddaddy...

We all have our favorite memories while growing up.  For me ~ some of mine, are of my grandparents.  They were my heroes growing up, and although they are both gone now ~ they are still my heroes in so many ways. Growing up I would spend weekends at their house, and I truly loved every minute of it.  We would all sit downstairs in the den and watch TV... HeeHaw, The Lawrence Welk Show and whatever else they may want to watch.  As the "good shows" were over,  granddaddy and I would sit for hours and play cards.  He taught me how to play Rummy and Solitaire (with a real deck of cards).  We would sit on the couch at the table (which I have in my house today) ~ the table was carved and had a scene on the top.  He would tell me stories of what he saw on the table.  We would get done with cards, and then would move upstairs to the chess table.  Then, if I was still bored we would grab Granny, and we would play Sorry.  When it was nice outside, we would play yard darts (yes... the real metal darts), climb trees or play golf.  There are so many memories that I have with them, that I would NEVER trade for anything!  We always sat at the table for dinner ~ that was family time!  There was ALWAYS dessert ~ because that's what you had with dinner.  I can still remember one night after watching HeeHaw, I asked Granny for a popsicle ~ she said, "Sugar, we don't have any."  I thought the world was coming to an end, and just like any good little girl did ~ I went to Granddaddy.  I asked the exact same question, but I got a completely different answer.  His answer was, "Sugar, we don't have any, but let's go to 7 Eleven." And... off we went.

It's funny, he has been gone for years now and I still remember that day like it was yesterday.  I was in the 9th grade at Hawkins Jr. High School, and my dad came to pick me up early.  I was pretty sure my heart would break that day!   As the years have gone by, I so wish he was here to meet my kids and share in their lives.  I just know he would be proud!   He was my hero, he fixed everything and always made everything right!  One big bear hug from my Granddaddy and all the sadness was gone! It's funny... I think I may miss him more the older I am ~ and I did not think that was possible.

Tomorrow, he would have been 105!  It's hard to believe, he has been gone for so many years ~ but the memories never fade.  Happy Birthday Granddaddy! I love and miss you!!

Actions...

How many times have you told your kids, "actions speak louder than words?" Even though we learn this as kids, I think it is even more important to remember this as adults.  Romans 12: 9-21 is the perfect reminder I needed today:

        9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[a] Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[b] says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[c]

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Be sure to mend fences that need to be mended, treat others the way you want to be treated, and tell your loved ones you love them. You never know when this could be the last opportunity you have!  

What it's all about...

I am going to start off by saying... I have the best friends and family EVER!  As my birthday week is coming to a close, I could not be any more thankful for the people who surround me on a daily basis. When I look back over the week, I realize the reason it was so special is because I have been surrounded by the ones that I love the most!

This month I did something that never in a million years would I have expected to do... I went SKYDIVING!  No... I did not wake up one day and think, "I'm going to jump out of a plane today."  J called on a Monday morning, and said, "Mom, do you have plans this weekend?"  - I told him that I didn't think so.  He then said, "well, I want you to do something with me" - when I asked what, I never expected the answer I got.  He said, "I want you to go skydiving with me."  I originally just told him whether I jumped or not, I would definitely go, if nothing else but to watch him.  He told me he didn't want me to just be there, he wanted me to jump with him. So... what does a mom do when their 21 year old asks them to jump out of a plane?  She goes skydiving!

I woke up that morning... super excited! I woke J up, and we went to go meet his friends.  Yes.. me and 6 kids that ranged from 18 - 21 went skydiving!  And... I would NOT trade one minute of that day for anything.  On the drive down (JD rode with me), I got to talk and listen to a 20 year old's view on life.  I got to understand a little more about what makes J & his friends so special and unique.  This is a group of kids who truly live life to the fullest, and they appreciate the little things.  They all understand that life is short, and you deserve to be happy.  They are an AMAZING group of kids!

And.. for the record - my favorite part of the day, was right after we hit the ground.  J met me and gave me biggest hug, and said, "Mom... I'm so glad you did this with me."  The look on his face was worth every dime and minute spent on this adventure.

On a different note... have you ever realized that happiness comes when it is not expected?  Sometimes we are looking so hard for something, that we get hit by a truck we weren't expecting.  I have always said, that everything in life is about His timing - not ours.  That we have to patient... and let God's will be done.  In Romans 8:25 it tells us, "But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance." No matter what it is in life, it is important to realize that our lives are about His time and not ours. We just need to be ready to listen, and act upon His words!

Friendships of every kind...

Friends...I'm not even sure where to start, but I truly believe I have the best friends in the world! I have been very blessed in my life to have great friends.  I have childhood friends, high school friends and college friends.  Then, I have the friends that I met when I got married and I have the others that I met at the various places I have worked. Then... there are those friends who you met through other friends - and they changed your life forever.  The best part about these sweet people...I don't have to talk to them everyday.  I don't have to see them every week.  I know they are there ~ always only a phone call away.  I can go for years and not talk to or see them, and pick up exactly where we left off.

In Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10 it says, "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:  If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up." We all make mistakes in life, and we all say things that we regret.  Sometimes we really wish our filter would work when speaking - but it doesn't always happen. The fact is... we are all human, we all make mistakes and bad choices and we all wish we could take things back.  But...we can't.  Once the words come out, it is impossible to take them back. We all have times when the world is crashing around us, and we need our friends to pick us up. Our friends are the ones who have faith in us, when we don't have faith in ourselves.

So tonight... I am very thankful for the people in my life that I am blessed to call friend!