Christmas Shopping

I really enjoy the holidays, but my lack of time to browse and go out looking for "special" gifts is so limited (nonexistent)and mall shopping is just not my thing. My sil and I do have a trip planned to go visit little shops in Virginia-Highlands or Decatur in November, but I'm worried that many shops may be out of business. It would be nice to do most of my shopping online, but sometimes that is hard if you can't see it first. I do love this little rack from At West End and think my other sister in law might like it. Have you started shopping yet?

A Thankful Heart

We fell in love with our church on the first Sunday we attended. It all felt so good from the music to the message. I will say that having The Bird was what pushed me back through the church doors, but I know it was the Holy Spirit calling to me wanting me to come back home. My relationship with God had been placed on the back burner for a few years. We joined our church this past Sunday and my dear sweet precious T-Bone will be baptized next month. I'm thankful that our God is so mighty and powerful to move us to transform our lives for him. I'm celebrating a thankful heart and linking this to Tuesday's Unwrapped over at Chatting at the Sky.

Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Pain

My life has been taken over by work again. I wonder each day how other people do it. Some of my friends have two or three kids and work full-time. Are they just as frazzled? I've made vague references to my health issues, but it has never been my intent for this blog to be a discussion about my condition. Getting shingles has magnified the already constant pain I live with and I just crumbled yesterday. Not a lot, but I shared with a friend at work how hard it was and that dealing with unrelenting pain was getting the best of me. Last night I was speaking with a loved one that intended to comfort and encourage me. I came away feeling exhausted and knowing she meant well, but just did not understand the daily pain I experience. It has gotten hard to hide and I'm not quite sure how to handle it publicly other than to say I'm fine, even when I'm not. I've asked God to "fix" me and lead me to help. I know I need prayer and am going to send off an email and make a phone call today to ask some faithful friends I have to pray for me.

Isaiah 40:29-31 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Katrina Again

I posted back in August about the impact of Katrina on our lives and what she took from us. Last year we got all worked up about moving to Mississippi again and making it work down there. I'll sit here in the burbs of Atlanta and fall in love with little cottages in downtown Ocean Springs or Pass Christian, but then we go to visit and every thought I've had about simplifying our life flies out the window. Between the pay cut we would take, the loss of services for B, and well, there is a huge list and I have convinced myself that we need to sit here outside of Atlanta and raise the girls. My year at school is pretty good. I really enjoy my students this year and even though I'm not entirely pleased with some things, I know I have it good. The "condition" I have has been out of control. I don't really want to talk about it now, but I suffer with chronic pain and am also recovering from a bout with the shingles. Ouch! So I pray Thank you, God for my family, my home, my job, my church, your provision, the trust that you are running things, etc... and I get hit again with the idea of Mississippi. I run into sermons or devotionals on trusting God's will and provision in our lives and sit behind cars in traffic with Mississippi license plates. In the past, I've shared my Mississippi thoughts with my sister-in-law, friends and my husband, but this is different and I've been wrestling in my mind with the idea and asking God to hit me over the head with his will.

This is a picture of the tree in my in-law's back yard. Whenever we go for a visit, I always enjoy seeing the tree. It has the ability to create awestruck wonder at the beauty of God's creation of our natural world. Yes, it stood firm during Katrina.

Psalm 143:7-8 "Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." (NIV)