Birthday News & A Good-Bye

Yesterday I celebrated my 38th birthday! I know...38....I am getting really close to a big number. Gene and I celebrated on Saturday night. He took me to Outback and I ordered steak and crab cakes with steamed green beans...a splurge for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed every single bite. Then, we went shopping where I picked out some new clothes and a pair of shoes. I loved the evening out with him. On Tuesday morning, my actual birthday, Gene woke me up at 5:15, kissing me on the cheek, telling me "Happy Birthday" and how much he loved me. A sweet, sweet moment for sure! He also gave me a sweet card. At 7:30 that morning, I had to head to Holtville Elementary to register Reagan for kindergarten. That was surreal. I mentioned on Facebook that it turned out to be a little more emotional than I thought it would be. The school seemed so big compared to her little preschool and the thought of dropping her off there for 7 hours each day made me a little sad. I know it is time. She is ready for it and needs it, but I couldn't help to think how much I would miss her. When I got back home, I received several calls from family members, all wishing me "Happy Birthday" and then I turned on my computer. I was shocked to see 112 emails with birthday wishes. After lunch, I had 78 more, and then at bedtime I was greeted by 38 additional messages. Talk about feeling blessed....Facebook can brush the ego at times, and it did that for me yesterday. I had lunch at the Legends Golf Course in Prattville with all my fellow staff wives from East Memorial. I have worked with most of these women for 6 years and I just love them. They had a cake for me and sang "Happy Birthday" to me and Mrs. Margaret, our head pastor's wife, bought my lunch. I thought that was so sweet!

Here I am with my cake.

Here I am with the group. The picture was taken with an iphone and the sides are a little blurry. My mom came to babysit my girls while I went to lunch and brought me a bouquet of tulips. I thought that was incredibly thoughtful and they look beautiful on my kitchen table. For dinner, we went to Gene's mom and dad's house for pizza and an ice cream cake. We had a great time hanging out with all of his family. It was a great day! And I will get to celebrate one more time this Saturday night with my family....my parents and my younger sister and her family. And now for the good-bye... I am letting my blog go for a while. I have hit a season where I simply cannot keep up with it like I would like. My perfectionism won't allow me to do it at random times. If I cannot do it regularly, then it stresses me out. It hangs over my head on the days that I do not do it. I have also noticed that as I am studying my Bible or working on a Bible study, I am constantly thinking, "Oh, that would be great to share on my blog". That is the wrong reason to study my Bible. I am not just studying for me and listening to what God might be saying to me...I am studying for all of you and what might encourage you. I also feel like I am robbing time from my children. I want to be "present" with them and the computer distracts me. There will be time for this type of ministry/activity when they are in school. I am also going to limit Facebook time too. That is a huge time waster. I hope you have enjoyed a look into my life....and I hope I have encouraged in your walk with God.

A Memory Verse and A New Bible Sudy

Today is the first of the month which means it is time for me to pick a new memory verse. If you'll remember, I am doing the memory verse challenge with Beth Moore, picking a verse to memorize on the 1st and the 15th of each month. I am enjoying this process, but I am afraid that the verses are in my short term memory. I can remember bits and pieces of the first couple of verses, but honestly, the most recent verses are the easiest to recite. I need to work on this. Before I tell you my verse, let me tell you how I picked this particular one. It is actually been a challenge to pick one to read over and over again for two weeks solid. Anyway, I have been thinking a lot about the power of God's Word and how it completely transforms lives. I love reading my Bible. I love learning about God. I rise early each morning because I want to study about Him. I don't do it because I have to, but rather because I honestly want to. There comes a point though where I have to ask myself..."Am I just studying God's Word for knowledge or am I truly being transformed?" I would like to think I am being transformed and I know in many ways I am. Yes, I am. I am growing. I am maturing in the Lord. I am a better person because of His transforming power. But yet, there are some areas that just don't seem to change. I still worry. I still deal with fear. I still doubt in some areas. I still compare myself to others. I still feel ordinary. I still feel unworthy. That is not the destiny that God has for me. I was made for more. So how do I get from here to there? I hope to find out. I am starting a new Bible study that deals with all the different questions and insecurities that women deal with on a daily basis. It basically takes every question, 12 questions in all, and answers that question based on the CHARACTER OF GOD. The answer to every question I have or issue I struggle with is really about who God is, NOT who I am. The study is a call to know God more intimately by digging into the characteristics that define Him. I am excited to dig in and learn how to apply His Word to these issues that seem to always remain. The study is Do You Know Who I Am?...and Other Brave Questions Women Ask by Angela Thomas. As soon as I saw it advertised about 2 months ago, I knew I would do it as soon as I finished my James book study, which was awesome by the way. I pray that I am different when I complete it. I pray that I can honestly say at the end of the study that I know HIM more intimately than I ever have before. I pray that His Word transforms each problem area of my life as I lay it on the altar before Him. My verse...Psalm 107:19-20 "Then they cried out to the Lord in their TROUBLE; He saved them out of their DISTRESSES. He sent forth HIS WORD and HEALED them, and DELIVERED them from their DESTRUCTIONS." It is a powerful verse isn't it? Yes, I have trouble and distresses. God has the answer for every one of them and will send forth His Word to heal and deliver me as I learn to apply His Word to my life. Say a prayer for me because I will need it! Until next time...