Still Standing

This week in our study of Esther -- the Jews were given a decree to defend themselves from annihilation.  They fought for one day and killed many.  Esther then asked for 1 more day of defense in Susa.  It was granted.  It was then ordered, that the very next day would be for rest.  This was the day the Jews have decided to celebrate.  Purim.

I related to this in that -- the Jews celebrated the day of rest.  Not all the men that were killed, or that they conquered, but celebrated that they were "still standing".  Wow.  Celebrate that YOU are still standing.

The question was asked of us, what days do you celebrate throughout the year?  Besides the obvious holidays and birthdays -- what would you say?
I said:

•  My husband's salvation -- July 23
• My wedding anniversary -- Sept 16
• My kids' baptism -- Dec 30
• My adoption day -- Sept 25
• My kids salvation - I don't recall the day -- but they both accepted Christ on the same day. 

As you can see -- I like any reason to celebrate, right?  Find something to celebrate today -- most of you are "still standing" and there is reason to rejoice!  

Playing Cards

This past weekend, I worked the time away.  I was telling Garth we hadn't played this card game since our Caribbean cruise... so while I was working away he looked up again how to play it.

When I took a break -- he asked me to play the game with him.  Gin rummy. The idea is to make runs, sets and lay down your cards before the other person, trying to take all the points.  Very fun.

So, you are dealt 10 cards.  When I started the game, I only wanted to draw certain cards -- but as the deck went along -- I had to change strategies and multiple times... what I started out wanting, like 10's -- since I couldn't draw a 10 to save my life -- I had to go for other cards...

I realized that our life is so much like this.  We start going all out for one thing, yet realize God's plan for us is much sweeter and better than we could ever imagine.  (I Cor 2:9-10). We have to then adjust our dreams, plans, desires.  Sometimes you win with the adjustment, other times you lose - but in both there are lessons to learn.

Are there ways you have had to adjust your strategy to win the game?  Have you won? Have you lost? Life is  like a game.  At church we say, you need to be fast, fluid, flexible.  Are you?

Red Paisley Chairs!!!

Hey all!  SHOUT OUT to Marilyn Daniels!!  Furniture wizard!!! She found some new chairs for me, as a few of mine broke this past week...... she got them for a steal! Ashley Furniture honey pine chairs!!!! So cool.

She rocks like that.... AND she even braved the fabric store with me to find new fabric for cushions.... and what color did I pick?  RED!!!

Not only did she FIND the chairs, SHOP for fabric, but she HELPED me re-upholster (is this a word?) the chairs in RED PAISLEY!! And she even knew how non crafty I really am and how handicapped I am at these things...... yet she was so very patient with me!!

What a special day and you don't find friends like that every day who will drop what they are doing, and come help you out and teach you a new trick -- like how to work a staple gun WITH fabric!!! No sew -- that's my style!

Now I need to have you all over for dinner (it may just be hot dogs here...) AND play games (LIFE, my new fav) in my fancy CUSHIONED RED PAISLEY chairs!! Just don't spill, k?  They are nice and new to me!!

I'm loving walking into my dining room and seeing the cheery red.. Thank you Marilyn.  I really will take BOTH kids for you to pay you back..... what a special time we had together learning new tricks! I'll teach you Kindle techie crap, and you teach me useful power tools crap..

Heart Wrestling

Today was a tough day for me.  My heart is wrestling with an issue.  I feel God prodding me to make a "next step", but my heart isn't as quick to make action.  Even with wise counsel and awesome support, my heart is still fighting.

And these times of prodding for "next steps" come at times of many other distractions.  Which can be good or bad I guess... but today was one of those days I wish I could lay it aside..... but the urging continues.

The next step I need to make is sure to "ruffle the feathers" and my heart doesn't feel ready to deal with the "ruffling.."

But it's not fun either to resist what God has called me to do... so I feel torn.

Thankful for my hubby that knew how my day was today and just spent the evening with me, loving me.

Simplicity

Doesn't the word just give you a big sigh?  Simple.  Easy.  Not rushed. Relaxed.

I long for the days of things being more simple.  You would think with technology, our lives would be so much easier than my Grandma had it.  But for some reason, it just seems complicated. I wonder if she thought so too? I'll have to ask her.

I purposely bought craft items this year for our family to do projects.  If you know me, you know how I love to be crafty -- NOT!  But I longed for us to spend time together each making something.  Realizing we all don't like the same things, the crafts vary.

Each day in the morning, I look forward to some time in the evening to do this.... it's NOT that easy.  It seems something always gets in the way.  Does this happen to you?

This weekend, I'm determined to not let it get in the way.  But then again, it's deadline 1st of the month weekend.... torn, complicated, life....

So, I'm taking the challenge to find some simplicity -- you with me?  You don't have to be crafty --- but find your own way of being simple. I long for family time (no fighting, I mean fun times) and am learning that I'm going to have to fight and compromise to get it!  Stay tuned to see how the weekend turned out......

Thankfulness

I was thinking on Thanksgiving how thankful I was for so many different things.  It hit me, that thankfulness is like an "onion" (ogres are like an onion.... ) You peel back the layers of thankfulness...

I'm thankful THIS happened, because then THIS happened and because of that, THIS happened..... it's kind of like once you start listing things you are thankful for, the layer just gets deeper and deeper, richer with flavor and closer to the core of who you are.

It's times like that when you are able to see how God has worked a situation out, and continued on the situation, until it's sweet taste today.

Like this:

I'm thankful for my kids.  In order to have my kids:
I'm thankful for my husband. In order to have met my husband:
I'm thankful for my job.  (That's how I met my husband) In order to have had my job:
I'm thankful for my college degree.

See how it works?  Reminds me of the Christmas chains that we put on the tree..... each link connected to the next.

Random thoughts......

It's Tough Being a Woman

This is the title of our Esther bible study.

Did you know that your destiny will always involve a group of people?  Without a doubt.  You are not in this life alone, nor were you created to be alone.

Sometimes this is comforting -- sometimes it's annoying -- sometimes it's angering -- sometimes it saves your bacon.

Pivotal points come at times in our life that are very inconvenient.  Almost always we think poor timing.  In our minds, it's really "right now?"  It doesn't work right now.

In Esther 4, she has been told her people will be massacred.  All Jews to be destroyed.  Her cousin Mordecai tells her that she HAS to do something.  Maybe she was in her position for such a time as this.  In those days, the queen had to be summoned to the king.  You couldn't just walk in and ask for a favor, or they would cut off your head.

She hadn't been summoned to the king in over 30 days.  She doesn't know what to do.  How can I save my people when the king hasn't had anything to do with me?

This is a pivotal point, right?

In my own life, I think of this very recent event.

Last year about this time, I contacted a woman about her selling her real estate card business.  She was terminally ill and needed to sell.  I waited... and waited... (this will be tomorrow's blog)

2 weeks before Christmas she called.  In this time, I had been hit in the nose and had infections in all 8 sinus cavities and had a few trips to the hospital.  REALLY not feeling well and on morphine.  Do you know what I wanted to tell her?  Now, is not a good time...

But God had other plans.  As I had learned in other life lessons, God uses the weak, defenseless to carry out His purpose. I drugged myself up and my dad drove me there to meet her to discuss buying her company.  It was a pivotal point -- she was terminally ill and time was of the essence.  Esther's decision was of the essence too.

God worked out all the details, and worked through my Dad's clear mind! HA! To help us buy this fun and fantastic business that can impact so many.  Plus the more time I spent with Cheryl, the more I realized our life purposes were right in line with each other!

I was made for such a time as this and so were YOU!!

What's a pivotal point in your life?

Inspired by my small group

My small group studying Esther inspired me to write a blog.  So, if you haven't already gotten enough of me on Facebook -- feel free to join me here.

This week I've been learning about a Reversal of Destiny.  This is when God appoints or allows circumstances or crises in our lives to redirect us.  Did you know this has happened many times in people's lives especially in the bible? And it comes when we least expect it.

I was trying to think of times it's happened in my life and this is what I've come up with.

• I was adopted and after all I've learned about my birth family, I received a Reversal of Destiny in God placing my adoptive parents into my life. 
• Getting a job in Cannon Beach when I was 19.  Completely steered my life on the right course -- another reversal of destiny
• Marrying my husband - who made me face my faith and what I believed in for myself, a time of owning my faith -- and he had a Reversal of Destiny
• Starting my own accounting business that has allowed me to be a wife, home for my children, and available to volunteer and serve -- a reversal of destiny in my life for many purposes as well as for others in my immediate family. 

These are just a few times in my life that have been obvious.  I'm sure there are many more if I really took more time.  

How about you?  Can you see a reversal of destiny in your life?  I'd love to hear about it.