Place of Worship

I haven't said anything about this here or anywhere else.  I have felt very torn over the situation and unsure of God's direction.  Let me explain.


For 10 wonderful years, we served at a local church.  We loved it there.  Our kids were both baptized there and grew in the Lord.  They are both still part of the youth ministry.  Our marriage was saved there and we raised our hands in worship first there :-)  About 2 years before we left, we began to feel it was time to move.  We wanted to expose our kids to other languages, colors, economic status's.  Back then, I felt God was calling us to make the move.  I have questioned that several times over the years - although this is the first I have admitted it publicly.  In all honesty, although the above things were absolutely true, I also was harboring some tough feelings in my heart that took a long time to work through.  That's not to say the church was to blame either.  Reality is, I was hurt, and I didn't tell anyone about it.  Then I allowed that to grow into bitterness until it affected me greatly.  That was my responsibility and I have learned now that it is better to face tough situations head on rather than let them fester in your heart. 

Regardless, in the end, we left on good terms, with the blessing of the Pastor and moved on to another church where we have spent the past 3 years.  Again, another great church.  This church was undergoing change when we first arrived.  The Pastor and his wife have been wonderful.  I was able to serve with the women's ministry team and help create a church website.  The Pastor raps - which I just find amazing (lol) and I have enjoyed our time there.  Becoming involved, however, has been a challenge due to the distance from our home and the age of our kids.  We have missed more than we have been there.  I have made some good friends - Becca & Pastor C, Chuck & Kathy - Donnie & Beni but we have felt disconnected and divided as a family for the past 3 years.

This fall, soccer season was insane.  When I say we were never at church - I literally mean, we were never at church.  We couldn't do both - soccer and church that far away.  Yes, I feel, in the end, we made a poor choice - not over going to the new church - but allowing soccer to become such a priority that it overtook serving in our church - no matter where it is located.  I regret it.  In the middle of it, I didn't know how to change it without stopping it all - which just wasn't an option.

Anyway - no need for explanation.  It was wrong, plain and simple.  For the past 3 years, both kids have begged us to return to our old church.  They are still plugged in there, one of them heavily involved in youth ministry for her last year before moving on to college.  Our youngest is at an age where he desperately needs to see Mom and Dad involved and on fire for the Lord.  I see him emulating our lack of priority in church, worship, prayer, devotion.  It's not what I want for my child.

Because I have always been a firm believer that you can not expect from your children what you are not willing to give - we have made a tough decision.  It has been about a month of tossing this one around, and my resisting the change.  Marty was ready to make it long before I have been.  I still feel like I'm dragging my heels a bit - not wanting to hurt feelings.  I don't feel an absolute answer from God on this and that makes me hesitate - but then again - I don't feel I am currently in a spot spiritually to make a firm decision based on hearing from God simply because - I don't feel I am hearing from God.

We've been back to our old church a couple of times.  I have been pleasantly surprised at how almost everyone has thrown open their arms, happy to see us again.  In fact, I have left church with that warm fuzzy "ah, home" feeling on more than one occasion.  I have found friends where I didn't realize I had them before.

It's important to me that this isn't a big hoopla.  I just want to blend in, be part of the crowd.  The church has changed in major ways since we were there before and although it feels like home in many ways - there are many things that are different.  I want to come in as if I've never been there before, and see things in a new and bright way.

I'd like to take this moment to thank Pastor C & Becca and those at The Rock who have loved on us for the past 3 years.  We love you guys.  You met us during a time we struggled - and you loved us anyway.  I will miss many things about The Rock - worship, espanol, looking across the body and seeing God's creation in all kinds of colors and places in life.  The Rock was real - and I loved that about it.  Only at The Rock could you see drug paraphernalia smashed at the alter with a hammer because someone has become a new creation in Christ.  Only at The Rock can you sit with full conversations going on behind you while the Pastor is trying to preach :-)  (That may bug some people - but it just showed me how real it was - people who had no idea what proper etiquette for church was!).  I absolutely loved the lack of pretense.  I will miss it.  And now I have to stop talking about it before I change my mind one more time!

No time for blogging!!

So after almost 2 months straight of a post a day - I finally fell off the bandwagon :)  It's been a hectic but good Thanksgiving break and I haven't been on the computer for more than 2 minutes for the past 3 days.  Actually - I think that has been a good thing!

For the Thanksgiving week re-cap - here we go!  Wednesday Marty and I enjoyed time together getting the house ready for the big day.  Lots of cleaning and moving furniture around to accommodate all the Thanksgiving guests.  Weiling came over and helped me prepare the feast.  We worked hard - starting at 5 p.m. and working to almost midnight.  We were both ready to drop :)

Thursday Weiling's friends all came and we enjoyed their company.  My favorite part of the day was going around the table listening to what everyone is thankful for.  I found one thing to be true - no matter where we come from - we are all thankful for the same things.  Family, friends and the love of those around us.  It brought tears to my eyes to look around the table at the beautiful people God has put in my life.

Friday we cleaned again and my Mom and Dad came in.  Always good to have them here!!  Saturday morning started early with putting the turkey in and practice for orchestra.  Mom joined me - although I'm quite sure she was bored by the end of it ;-)  We ran home and enjoyed dinner with my sister and nephew, brother and sis-in-law.  Again - my favorite part was going around the table - tears were had by all.  You have no idea how good it is to have us together - without fear and pain.  Who knew?  I love my family and am so thankful God has given us this time together now.   God truly has made everything beautiful.  My only regret for the day was the fact that I was hardly here.  Next year we're not going to have it that way!!  I should have told my clarinet choir I couldn't make it - I regret not spending the time with my family.

From there - 2 performances for clarinet choir.  I performed HORRIBLE the first time around.  Totally unhappy with myself.  Second time around went better - but I have a lot of work to do.  Now it is Sunday morning, we all overslept, I am fighting off a sore throat and stuffy nose and my amazing hubby is cleaning the house :-)

It was a good break.  I am content and happy with what God has blessed me with.  I couldn't ask for anything more.

Attitude of Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving faithful readers!!   I trust you had a TERRIFIC Thanksgiving celebrating with family and friends.  I KNOW we did :-)

I'll post some pics later - but today we had a fun day celebrating Thanksgiving with 7 Chinese students from UT.  They've been here a year - and have never been in an American home!  I think that's so sad - but I am so grateful to God for connecting us with Weiling - and from Weiling - to the students we got to meet today.  I love meeting students from other countries.  So fun to show them a little bit of American culture and learn something about another place in this beautiful world God has created!

To keep this short and sweet - today I am choosing to have an attitude of gratitude.  Yes, finances are extremely tight, yes Christmas is right around the corner and right now - who knows how we're going to be able to purchase a thing - yes, my health has been weird lately, the kids sick - there are many things to pull us down in our every day life if we focus too hard on the negative!

However - we have soooo much to be thankful for!  Have you ever seen pictures of beautiful African children - quite literally half starving to death - but with a smile on their face???  I mean - come on!  If they can find happiness in the smallest of things - then why can't we??

So - on this fine Thanksgiving - here are some things I am thankful for!   My terrific husband, my amazing kids, the roof over my head, laughter in my home, peace in my heart, friends in my life, a church in which I am free to worship in, a country in which I am free to work hard, to put food on my table, and speak what I think without fear, I am thankful for the good health of my kids and husband, for being cancer free, for my mom & step-dad, sister and brother, Marty's side of the family, a furnace that works (praise the good Lord!), water at my disposal, furniture to sit on, dogs and cats that make me laugh, a Lord who loved me enough to die for me.

I love my life.  Sure - it has it's tough moments - but sometimes - life is all how you look at it.  If you have an attitude of gratitude - life can look a whole lot better :-)

Happy Thanksgiving my friends!

A photo of you taken recently

Photo taken of you from over 10 years ago

 

This is one of my senior pics!  Taken - just a few short years ago.  Lol.  Yeah Right!  I was 17 in this picture and it was taken in 1987.

 

In my mind, there is nothing more beautiful to photograph than Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.  This is a piece of driftwood off of Lake Superior.  The coldest - and deepest - Great Lake.  Even in the heat of summer, you can't last but a few minutes in Lake Superior.  I love the look of driftwood and the rocks.  The sand at Lake Superior is darker than the sand of Lake Michigan.  There is a lot of nothing in the UP - and the Lake - is grand.   I love it on the west side of the state.  You can hardly take a bad photograph.  God's creation amazes me.

A photo that makes you angry/sad

This image makes me both - angry and sad.  Angry at Satan for twisting what God intended for His children.  Angry at the men and women who are so sick in the head that they would even consider hurting a child.  Angry for the pain and suffering inflicted on hundreds of thousands of children every single day.  Sad because I know the pain.  Sad because the reality is - most will continue to go nameless, faceless, without someone to fight for them - every single day - for the rest of their lives.
Sex trafficking is alive and well here in the USA.  Toledo, our home town, is the 3rd highest place it occurs in the USA - falling only behind Atlanta and Vegas.  It makes me sick to my stomach even thinking that right now - there are little boys and girls in so much pain - crying out for someone to help.
Marty and I are helping with something called The Daughter Project.  You can find their link to the right of this blog.  Consider joining us in helping victims of sex trafficking right here in Northwest Ohio.
The question becomes - how angry/sad does this photo make YOU?  Angry enough to do something?  Angry enough to take action instead of just shaking your head at the injustice of it all?  Angry enough to invest your time, your money - into rescuing one of these children?  If so - let me know - and I can help show you the many ways you can get involved.
It makes me angry.  It makes me sad.  God doesn't want us to sit back and do nothing.  He is a God of justice and this photo - makes Him angry and sad as well.

Thanksgiving Day Menu

It took me over an hour, but the Thanksgiving Day menu is made, grocery shopping list prepared and I'm getting super excited!  Not so excited about how much this will cost.... :-) 

Here's my menu - what's on yours??  

Apple Cranberry Stuffing (new this year - always try to find at least 1 new recipe each year!)

Grape Salad (oh yeah baby - I could eat myself sick with this stuff!)

Grandma's Cranberry Salad (this is my Grandma's recipe - and it's more like a dessert - can't even taste the cranberry amongst all the sugary goodness in this incredibly yummy recipe!)

Sweet dinner rolls (I'm giving up on trying to duplicate my MIL's incredible rolls - I have failed miserably every year - this year, we're going to grab a recipe off allrecipes.com and go for it!)

Mashed potatoes and gravy 

Green Bean Casserole (new recipe on an old classic)

Pumpkin Pie

Apple Pie 

Pecan Pie

Sweet Potato Casserole (more like a dessert)

Photo that makes you HaPpY!!

It's probably pretty obvious why this photo makes me happy :-)  I love my "babies"!  This was taken a few years ago - when Jon still was my little sidekick and snuggly :-)  He's not so snuggly anymore!  He does still hug me a couple of times a day though!  I sure do love these two!  They are the light of my life.

Whatever Tickles your Fancy!!

I'm going to take this day quite literally!  Let me start by saying my husband makes fun of me in this area.  If I'm laughing out loud - well something must be HILARIOUS.  I am a chuckler.  I need to work on joy in my life.  I mean that.  I am faaaaaarrrr tooooo serious!

So - what does tickle my fancy?

My husband.  He is stinking hilarious.  To me.  I love our private jokes.  I love when he says something goofy or off the wall.  He can get me laughing so hard, no sound is coming out!!

The kids.  They are funny too.  Elyse is goofy/strange/random funny (has her mother's sense of humor) and Jon is off the wall/funny voice funny.  Both of them make me laugh.  I need to laugh more - because they both are perfectly capable of making me cry as well!

Movies.  Not all - but some.  I love a great move full of good laughs!

Other people.  When they fall.  I'm sorry - but this is something I find amusing.   One time, to poke fun at myself,  I fell in church, in a skirt, and took out the youth pastor Rick.  I'll bet he doesn't remember that - but I do!  I was dying, and everyone was trying not to laugh - but it IS funny when someone else falls!!
Once, I flew off the trampoline at the Y.  I was laying on the ground having a grand ole' time laughing - and I was the only one.  Everyone else stared at me dumbfounded - no one else laughed, which made me laugh all the harder.  Seriously people - WHERE is your sense of humor??  It's FUNNY when other people embarass themselves!!

What makes you double over in laughter??

Your Favorite Quote

 Favorite Quotes

Again - who can pick just one??  I love quotes!  My walls are covered in them!  Here's some great ones!!

Some yearn to live within the sound of a church bell.  I’d rather run a rescue mission within a yard of hell. ~C.T. Studd

I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light.  ~John Keith Falconer

In the vast plain to the north I have sometimes seen, in the morning sun, the smoke of a thousand villages where no missionary has ever been.  ~Robert Moffatt

If God calls you to be a missionary, don't stoop to be a King. ~Jordan Groom

Tell the students to give up their small ambitions and come eastward to preach the gospel of Christ.  ~Francis Xaviar

What's your dream, and to what corner of the missionary world will it take you?  ~Elanor Roat

The will of God - nothing less, nothing more - nothing else.  ~F.E. Marsh

The Lord blessed the broken road that led me to you (my quote to Marty - author unknown)

To stay here and disobey God - I can't afford to take that consequence.  I would rather go and obey God than to stay here and know I disobeyed. ~Amanda Berry Smith (reminds me of Elyse)

I have decided to stick with love.  Hate is too big of a burden to bear. ~Martin Luther King

Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.  ~John Maxwell

Greater Love has no man than this, that he lay his life down for his friends. ~Bible

Live your life to be a story worth telling.  ~Author unknown

Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.  ~Bible

I know there are plenty more, but this is a good start.  What about you?  Comment and leave one of your most favorite quotes!!  I would love to hear them!

I will follow You

I love time with the Lord.  I love time that starts with silence - and ends with Jesus speaking to your heart.  Sweet, special time.

Here's a few thoughts for the day.  I'm going to exceed that word limit I spoke of yesterday - so just be ready :-)

From the devotional book I'm reading:  "Lift your hands to heaven and thank God for what He has given to you...for what you have.  Bow before Him and thank Him even for what you have lost."

Sections of Psalm 118
In my distress, I prayed to the Lord and the Lord answered me and set me free.  The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear.  What can mere people do to me?  Yes, the Lord is for me, he will help me.  I will look in triumph at those who hate me.  It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people.  Though hostile nations surrounded me, I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.  Yes, they surrounded and attacked me, but I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.  They swarmed around me like bees; they blazed against me like crackling fire, But I destroyed them with the authority of the Lord.  My enemies did their best to kill me, but the Lord rescued me.  The Lord is my strength and my song, he has given me victory.

Lyrics from the song Let the waters rise by Mikeschair:
Don't know where to begin, it's like my world's cavin' in
and I try but I can't control my fear, where do I go from here?
Sometimes it's so hard to pray when you feel so far away.
But I am willing to go where You want me to and God I trust in You.
There's a raging sea right in front of me - wants to pull me in, bring me to my knees
So let the waters rise if You want them to.  I will follow You.
I will swim in the deep 'cause You'll be next to me.
You're the eye of the storm and the calm of the sea -
You're never out of reach
God You know where I've been and You were there with me then
You were faithful before, You'll be faithful again, I'm holding Your hand.
God Your love is enough, You will pull me through - I'm holdin onto you.

My final thoughts in my journaling.
Thank you Lord for speaking to my spirit.  Thank you for walking with me every day - especially the days I can not see your hand in my life.  Thank you for the victories to come - for destroying our enemies, for restoring my health and for the finances to provide not for our wants - but for our needs.  I praise you even when I can not see the answers just yet.  Thank you Savior for being all I need and all I am.  I love you.  I will follow you.

My name is Tami, and I am an addict

Well, actually, I'm not.  I do, however, on certain days, think about becoming one.  Why?  That's simple.  I am the mother of 2 teens.  Somehow I wonder if raising them during a chemically induced buzz would be easier.
TOTALLY KIDDING PEOPLE!
Raising teens is a job. I actually have 2 relatively drama-free teens.  I am blessed and I realize that.  No drinking, no drugs, no partying, no boys or girls in the bedrooms, etc.  I have non-trouble makers for the most part.
However - there are days - that the tears flow.  And flow.  And flow.  I'm not just talking about the girl here.  Or the boy.  I'm talking about ME!
Kidding again.  Sorta.  Seriously though - am I the only mother of teens that hopes - and prays - that one day - they will like me again??  There are days I can't do a stinking thing right.  I'm amazed at how stupid I've become in my "ripe old age" of 40.  I must be losing brain cells by the billions the older I get ;-)
I love my kiddos.  I really do.  Love them more than you know.  Treat them like crap - and you'll find out just how much I love them.  I'll put my boxing skills (man do I miss boxing!) to good use I tell 'ya!  Yet it's TOUGH STUFF this raising of teens!  TOUGH! 
Okay - there was no real point to this post and I'm approaching my self-imposed word limit!  Just wondering if you amazing parents who have lived to tell about these tough years ('cause I'm quite sure they will either kill me or cause me to be admitted to a mental institution) have any great advice - or encouragement - for a Mom who hopes and prays she's doing everything she can to raise amazing young people!

Shout Out

I was checking out some of the blogs listed in "Blogging with Moxie" when I came across this post.  If you've ever struggled with your self esteem and your weight - well this is the post for you.  Check it out.  I could learn a thing or two.

What's Your Favorite Book?

Favorite Book

Do you have ANY idea how difficult this is for me?  I have literally read hundreds, if not thousands, of books.  Of course, there is THE book - and that's a give - my BIBLE!!  But outside of that? Goodness - I don't know!!  Here's some goodies I've read along the way.  Warning - this is a heavy reading list - none of these are easy to read (except Crazy Love).  In other words, grab a box of Kleenex or two!  In fact, making this list,  I realize I need to order some lighthearted stuff from the library!!

\

Crazy Love - Francis Chen

Heavenly Man - Brother Yun

Safely Home - Randy Alcorn

Terrify No More - Gary A. Haugen

What about YOU?  What's YOUR favorite book?  Is it something funny, heavy, serious?  Is it a mystery, an autobiography?  Tell Me :-) 

Blogging Advice I've gleaned

Image located at asianmommy.com

As I stated yesterday, I've picked up a couple of books on blogging.  Here's some advice:
1.  Keep your posts short - no more than 300 words.  Yikes.  I'm just getting warmed up at 300.....
2.  No music - Off but still at the bottom for your listening pleasure if you so choose :-)
3.  Catchy titles. I'll work on it.  Maybe I should have titled the last post "Full of Moxie"!
4.  Stay focused.  What were we talking about??
5.  Snappy design.  I think Leslie at Sweetie Baby's Design solved this issue for me!
6.  Comment on other blogs.  Hint.....Hint.....Hint.....No one likes writing and wondering if anyone is reading.
7.  Blog out of the box.  Be unique, different, controversial even.  Covered this in the previous post.
8.  Blog often.  Check.  Got this one covered.
9.  Pictures.  Always use pictures.  Working on it.
10.Be the best you you can be.  Always ;-)

Got anything to add?  What's YOUR blogging advice?  I'd love to hear it!

Moxie Blogging

Yesterday I picked up a book from the library called "Blogging with Moxie". I haven't had a chance to read it  yet - but I liked the "smartness" of the title.  My Father used to call me a smart BEEP (sorry - how else do you say it without saying it??) when I was a teen.  Despite his inability to parent - I probably was.  I learned from the best, after all :-)

When my hubby saw the title of the book - he said "Like you need THAT!".  I guess he thinks I'm full of  Moxie :-)

If you google ways to make your blog unique - this is advice you will read.  Stand out, be different - be CONTROVERSIAL.  I'm good at that, actually - but being good at that has lost me friends in the past - so I've tried to stay a little more friendly in recent years and a little less Moxie-ish.

Truthfully - I'm a little Moxie gun-shy.  If I unleashed several topics of conversation that float through my head - well I'm just not sure the world is ready for my moxie :-)  And no - I'm not speaking of anything illegal (for the most part - KIDDING!) or ungodly - so relax. Okay, maybe a little ungodly but not as in - geesh I'm digging myself a bigger hole.  I'm talking about how I feel about certain people, certain situations, certain politics, certain ways of thinking, certain stupidities that other people pull.  Better be careful, my moxie is about to show.   

Which reminds me of a time when my Moxie got me in trouble.  Several years have passed and this person no longer reads my blog - so I feel free to share.  I had been writing about a neighbor child insistent on making my child's life miserable.  Bully type situation.  Punched my kid in the nose.  I was expressing my frustrations about trying to talk to the parent about his unruly son.  No need to re-hash the situation - but out of the blue - a faithful reader sent me a super-de-duper long e-mail telling me exactly what she thought of my airing my neighborly frustrations in such a public setting.  Apparently, I was acting incredibly ungodly and the flames of hell were burning at my doorstop.  Funny - I didn't feel any conviction over it - but must be she did - and she let me know all about it.

Being full of Moxie requires Moxie-proof skin.  If you share your Moxie with the world, you might just take a little criticism.

It would be easier to be a Moxie type of person.  Honestly - it's in my genes.  I can spout off without any problem most of the time.  However.  As much as it might bring me all kinds of blogging traffic - I'm not sure it's the attention I need at this point in my life.

For now we shall remain - for the most part - Moxie-free.  Of course - Moxieness is not something you can always hide - so an occasional Moxie post may find it's way on my page every now and then...

Which brings me to my final Moxie point.  If you don't like it - no one is forcing you to read it.  Move along my non-Moxie reader.  That's my Moxi advice :-)

Something Beautiful

Since the name of this blog is "Everything Beautiful" - I thought it might be a good idea to start posting about beautiful things.  It's easy to be negative Nelly in life - and I'm the biggest pessimist there is.  It's something I don't like about myself.  Well - then we need to change it :-)  Focus on the positive!

A few weeks ago I went to a beautiful friend's house for a Scentsy party.  I'd never been to one before.  I love me some candles though - so this one was right up my alley!

Today my mailman delivered me something beautiful straight from Beni's.  Let me share it with you!

Not only does it look amazing (I mean come on - pink AND flowers???!!) - but it smells INCREDIBLE!!  Heavenly I tell you - just heavenly.  I just may have found something that rivals a Yankee Candle.  Who knew??  I'm loving this and it sure is....Beautiful!

Favorite Article of Clothing

Originally this was your favorite movie - already covered in previous challenge.  So - I'm changing it up to my favorite article of clothing.  Oh this one is so easy - it's not even funny.  What do YOU think my favorite article of clothing is??

PS - I wish I actually OWNED this pink survivor sweatshirt!!  I love me a big ol' comfy sweatshirt - and in PINK - well - that would be JUST AMAZING!

What about you?  What's your favorite article of clothing??

2 great songs - lyrics only

I'm not a huge Disciple fan - but I heard this song this morning on Yes FM and loved the lyrics.  It's called Dear Ex.

Dear Pain, oh it's been a long time

Remember when you were holding me tight

I would stay awake with you all night

Dear Shame, I was safe in your arms

You were there when it all fell apart

I would get so lost in your beautiful lies

I let you go

Go ahead

You're never gonna take me

You can bend

But you're never gonna break me

I was yours

I'm not yours anymore

Oh, you don't own me

Dear hate, I know you're not far

You would wait at the door of my heart

I was amazed at the passion in your cries

Dear anger, you made me so high

You were faithful to show up on time

Such a flame that was burning in your eyes

I let you go

But you're still chasing

Go ahead

You're never gonna take me

You can bend

But you're never gonna break me

I was yours

But I'm not yours anymore

Oh, you don't own me

Go ahead

Put a target on my forehead

You can fire

But you've got no bullet

I was yours

But I'm not yours anymore

Oh, you don't own me

You tempted me to look back

But everything that we had together was a lie

Go ahead

You're never gonna take me

You can bend

But you're never gonna break me

I was yours

But I'm not yours anymore

ETC on chorus :-)  (too lazy to re-type it all again!)

Next is a rap song.  Have I mentioned before how much I love Christian rap?  Good Christian rap.  LeCrae is one of the best.  This is one of his newest - it's called Background.

Hook:

I could play the background

I could play the background

'Cause I know sometimes I get in the way

So, won't you take the lead, lead, lead?

So won't you take the lead, lead, lead?

And I could play the background, background

And you could take the lead

Verse 1:

It's evident you run the show, so let me back down

You take the leading role, and I'll play the background

I know I miss my cues, know I forget my lines

I'm sticking to your script, and I'm reading all your signs

I don't need my name in lights, I don't need a starring role

Why gain the whole wide world, if I'm just gonna lose my soul?

And my ways ain't purified, don't live according to your Word

I can't endure this life without your wisdom being heard

So word to every dancer to a pop star

'Cause we all play the background, but mine's a rockstar

Yeah, so if you need me I'll be stage right

Praying the whole world would start embracing stage fright

So let me fall back, stop giving my suggestions

'Cause when I follow my obsessions, I end up confessin'

That I'm not that impressive, matter of fact

I'm who I are, a trail of stardust leading to the superstar

Hook

Verse 2:

Yo, I had a dream that I was captain of my soul

I was master of my fate, lost control, and then I sank

So I don't want to take the lead, 'cause I'm prone to make mistakes

All these folks who follow me, goin' end up in the wrong place

So just let me shadow you, just let me trace your lines

Matter of fact, just take my pen, here, you create my rhymes

'Cause if I do this by myself, I'm scared that I'll succeed

And no longer trust in you, 'cause I only trust in me

And see, that's how you end up headed to destruction

Paving a road to nowhere, pour your life out for nothin'

You pulled my card, I'm bluffin', You know what's in my hand

Me, I just roll and trust You, You cause the dice to land

I'm in control of nothin', follow You at any cost

Some call it sovereign will, all I know is You the boss

And man, I'm so at ease, I'm so content

I'll play the background, like it's an instrument

Hook

Bridge:

I know I'm safest when I'm in Your will, and trust Your Word

I know I'm dangerous when I trust myself, my vision blurred

And I ain't got no time to play life's foolish games, 

Got plenty aims, but do they really glorify Your name?

And it's a shame, the way I want to do these things for you

Don't even cling to You, take time to sit and glean from You

It seems like You were patience in my ignorance, 

If ignorance is bliss, it's cause she never heard of this

Hook

Hook

Random mumblings for the day!

I have no real point to this post other than to share some random stuff and update those of you who care to be updated :-)
Went to the Dr. today to follow up on some blood work.  I was hoping she would be able to offer some explanation for the random hiving/skin craziness I've been experiencing as of late.  No can do.  "Stress?" she said.  Stress.  "Are you stressed?" she asked.  It was all I could do to refrain myself and just say a polite "nope, not more than normal."  Yeah right.  Triglycerides were ski high, thyroid way out of whack (I knew she should not have changed my prescription last time!) and blood pressure up.  That means a very expensive trip to the pharmacy later on today!!
Anywho. That was my start to the day.  I texted Marty to tell him everything when I received this awesome text from my good buddy Ang.  It said "God just placed you upon my heart! He loves you!  He has a plan for you!  I love you!".  Man that was good timing.  Thanks Ang - and thanks God.  I needed to hear that!
Then I came home to find out that my son was not going to be allowed to attend something he was really looking forward to on Wednesday because he was absent (sick) from school yesterday.  It's "policy" that you can't miss more than one day a week.  It was all I could do not to scream "Yeah right" once more - and tell someone where they could stick their policy.  Before I go off on a rant, let me leave it at this.  I really dislike when people insist on just waiting for their chance to stick it to someone.  Especially a child.  It infuriates me.  I'm half tempted to drive him to students interact myself and see what they do about it.  I won't, but I'm really tempted.  If this really had to do with caring that my son was going to miss another day - well that would be another story all together.  Instead, when my hubby called to talk to her about it - all she cared about was figuring out how we found out about it - so she could nail little man if he used his cell in school.  Marty didn't cave.  Good man, good man.  And I'm not saying little man used his cell in school either.  I figure there has to be some kind of parent/child confidentiality act :-)  I will not tell :-)
Okay, stopping now.  Surprised I'm not breaking out in hives ;-)
Well that's it for my random mumblings and update.  I'll aim for a bit more substance and a lot less complaining in the next post!!

We're Here!!

We've arrived!  What do you think?  AMAZING - isn't it??  I'm amazed.  If you're not amazed - well something must be wrong with you because I think Leslie @ Sweetie Babies Blog Design did an AMAZING job :-)

I've been working for the past 24 hours or so trying to get everything just right!  If you find any errors - please be so kind as to point them out (kindly, gently and in love!) so I can fix them.  I'll be adding more to the tabs up top as time goes along - just put some basics in there for now.  I'm also trying to figure out how to add some custom fonts to the blog titles - but that will come in time.  Still have to upload photos into Picasa and link that up to the "photo" tab as well. 

For instructional purposes - you can "subscribe" on the left hand side under "E-mail Subscription" or Follow under "followers" - just click and follow instructions.  If you are having trouble viewing - note the blog is currently being uploaded onto the final domain of www.everything-beautiful.org from a previous blogspot address.  If you notice any issues with that and your computer, please let me know.  You can e-mail me at everything.beautiful@rocketmail.com.  If you grab my button to place on your blog - let me know - and I will be happy to link you here as well.  I also want to know if it works!   Well, that's about it for housekeeping for now!

Thanks again to Leslie - I am so happy with this new look :-)

Everything IS beautiful in His time - especially my new blog :-)

Under Construction

Thanks for stopping by!  Everything Beautiful is currently under construction.  Please be patient while my incredibly awesome designer sweetie baby's custom blog design designs the blog.  Can't wait to see it myself so I hope you'll stop by in a few weeks and tell me your thoughts.  So exciting!