A Small Town Girl's New Perspective on What a Small Town Really Is...

Before yesterday if you had asked me if I grew up in a small town, my answer would have been "YES!” I believe that anyone who grew up with me would agree that our town is that southern town that is depicted in all of the football movies. You know the one! That town that shuts down on Friday night to show complete loyalty to the football team, most places are closed on Sunday, most every family we know attended the same church that their grandma's grandma had attended, everyone attended one high school, no matter where you went or what you did somebody knew your Mama and so you couldn't get away with anything and you were constantly being asked the questions "how's your mama and them?" even though the truth was that they already knew, going to Tallahassee was a super big deal because there was so much to do and so many places to eat, and last but certainly not least there was the ONE place that everybody ate and hung out all the while constantly complaining that there was nothing to do and nowhere to go in this small town we called home... you know, the one we couldn't wait to leave!

Well, I have to admit that yesterday; the small town of Cairo, GA became A LOT BIGGER to me!! I have recently moved to Boston, GA and it's a small, charming community where everyone knows everyone! The homes are beautiful and the people are friendly. I have joked with people before that I thought I lived in a small town and then I moved to Boston... this joke became a HUGE reality to me yesterday. In Boston, we have 2 restaurants, a bank, some cute antique shops, a peanut company, a convenient store, and a store that sells EVERYTHING from groceries to furniture, to cars!!! We're a 10 minute drive from Thomasville and a 30 minute drive from Valdosta so venturing out of Boston on a daily basis isn't feasible so most days Eli and I hang out at the house and play outside when the weather permits. However, yesterday was a beautiful day and since I needed to go to our post office to buy stamps, I decided that E and I would go eat at the Cafe in town because they have a daily country cooking special (including a drink) for $6.95 and it seemed like a nice, fun outing for us. So E and I pack up the stroller and head down the street to the cafe when I see the sign on the door that reads, "Debit card machine out of order."... WHAT? Really? This is the 2000's right? This wouldn't be the last time that I said this to myself yesterday!!! Well, I never have cash on me so on to the post office we went, much to my surprise the Post Office was closed for lunch... every day from 12-1 they close down. Okay, breathe... the reality is sinking in that my outing is going to be unproductive and we're going home to eat leftovers. Then I remembered that there is a bank in Boston, they must have an ATM, being the only bank in town... so, we walk there and much to my surprise when I walk in and see 1 teller and 1 customer, that they don't have an ATM, you know what I'm thinking at this point... what year is this again? I have yet another idea... let's go to the other restaurant because they have AWESOME, CHEAP hamburgers!! So, we walk there and much to my surprise, they have closed down for GOOD!! WOW... so now we have 1 place to eat! Eli and I walk home very defeated and feeling like we've stepped back into the 60's!! The story does have a happy ending; I came through and found enough change in our house to take us to lunch at the only place in town!! :)

What's the point of this blog? To all my Cairo peeps... you do have food choices, a movie theatre, a skating rink, several banks all with ATM's, and you even have stores that sell things other than antiques!! So, when you think that there is nowhere to eat and nothing to do remember that there are smaller places with less convenient amenities and if that doesn't work for you, come visit me in Boston and I'll treat you to a fabulous lunch at the Cafe and a charming afternoon looking at old homes and quaint antique shops in a lovely town where it is safe and nice to walk everywhere!! :)

Acceptance with a Side of Turkey

A clean house, pictures hanging on the wall, a creative scrapbook area, and a mantle that tells the story of the family that now occupies this house. I take a step back and breathe in a deep sigh of relief, yes, I have finally come to a place of acceptance!

For the past 4 months, our decorative items, pictures, and carefully constructed scrapbooks have been sitting in boxes. If you came into our home before last Wednesday, you would have assumed we were in the process of moving, not that we had lived there for a while and were settling in. What changed last Wednesday? Company was coming over for Thanksgiving and I had to get everything in order to show the beautiful house that we now call our home. So, I frantically ran around unpacking boxes, throwing away trash, setting out knick knacks and pictures, and showing Tommy where to hang things. Now, I had been telling myself that I hadn't done all of this because I lacked the time... so, did time magically present itself last Wednesday, NO! The truth is, I had been putting off what I didn't want to do. You see, unpacking meant closing a door, and walking through the new one. In other words, casting down vain imaginations that things would return to "normal" and clothing myself in the reality of the new journey.

The truth is, I love our new home, I love being home with Eli, and I love going to school! But the truth also is, that I miss our first home deeply, I miss friends that I used to see all the time, I miss work, and I miss children that are apart of my heart!! But the ultimate wonderful truth is that God is incredible and my wounds are healing! These days, tears are few while smiles abound, I can go places that I couldn't go without twinges of pain, and I can do things that I never imagined possible. ACCEPTANCE is a wonderful thing.

As I took a step back late last Wednesday evening and looked around, I was HOME!! The last thing to be hung on wall was a canvas painted by a precious 4 year old class that I purchased at the auction last year. After I bought it, the sweet teachers signed the canvas and had each child sign it. The canvas is rainbow colored with butterflies to remind of sweet little girl whose name isn't signed and it reads: "Teach them to pray and when they aren't with you they will find their way." ~Laurie Helton
This canvas hangs above my personal scrabooking space, in my favorite room of the house where I also do my quiet time and Bible study... it's a melding of the old and the new... all the things that have happend and all the people that I have met on my journey that make me who I am. This canvas meant a lot to me when I received it but it means even more now becuase it reminds me that I planted seeds of scripture and prayer into the children I served and as I continue to pray for them, I know God is watering those seeds and they will find their way in Him. I find such peace in that!!!

Here are a few pictures of the canvas and the new beautiful space! :) Thanks for reading my thoughts!

Help! Selling My Tahoe

Hello blogging world!! Tommy and I are trying to sell our 2007 Tahoe LT. It's beautiful, still under warranty, and in great condion. We love it! We just need to be relieved of the financial burden!! If you or anyone you know might be interested please have them contact us! You can e mail me: katie.odum@yahoo.com or Tommy: odum_tommy@yahoo.com. We're asking $26,000 for it because that's what we owe but we will entertain any reasonable offers.

More Info: Beautiful 2007 Tahoe LT, rear entertainment package, sunroof, leather, captin chairs, 3rd row, cd/dvd/front input/, brand new battery, and heated seats. 73,000 miles still under warranty.

18 Months of Laughter

This morning Eli and I went to see Dr. K for Mr. E's 18 month checkup!! 18 months... 18 MONTHS... WHAT?! When did that happen??!!! My baby is such a little boy now... I can't believe it's been 18 1/2 months since our beautiful bundle of JOY came into our lives and changed it (and us) forever! Even on the days when I look like I've been to battle (and lost), haven't had a shower, feel ready to pull my hair out... I can say with absolute certainty that I wouldn't trade that wonderful ray of sunshine that is now a TODDLER for anything in this world!! He makes his Mommy's days!
I thought I would just take a moment to give an Eli update... no pictures! I need to learn from my friend Ashleigh Anne and take my camera to the doctor for pics!!! I always forget!!

Our 18 month boy:
*Dr. K says he's perfect! We knew this already of course but she is an unbiased person! LOL
*She couldn't give me a height percentage because Eli is off the charts... basketball player maybe?
*He weighs 29 pounds exactly which puts him in the 50th percentile.
*On the 9-24 month checklist there is only one thing that he "can't" do... drink out of a cup without a lid without spilling it.... I say "can't" loosely because I haven't been brave enough to let him try!!!
*Eli talks up a storm! A few of his favorite words are: puppy, Elmo, Brewster, Mommy, Daddy, EAT, SNACK, phone, please, more, play, toys, Mickey, and MILK!!!
*His favorite songs are: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, B-I-B-L-E, Row Row Row Your Boat, and the Itsy Bitsy Spider.
*Some of my favorite things that Eli does or says right now: He does the "love" sign during Jesus loves me, says "help" when he actually needs my help, says "I wub u Mommy!", sings and dances to his ABC's and to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, sings "Bad Boys", and pretend calls people on his phone and says, "Hey (insert name here) sup?"
*Eli's favorite people: Daddy, Mommy, Paw Paw, Maw Maw, Gogee, G-Paw, P-Paw & the other P-Paw (because he can't say P-Maw consistently yet!), GG, Pop, and the babies (abby and alena).
*Eli can't sleep without his wubby which makes me feel the urgent need to buy replicas!!!
*He loves to play patty cake with his green monkey!
*He LOVES milk!!!
*As always his laugh makes the entire world brighter... seriously, you think it's the sun but it's not... it's me beaming from Boston because Eli laughed!! LOL
*The one sure way that I can get E to stop crying is to sing The Mary Tyler Moore theme song... I've sung it to him since he was a little baby and he's always responded to it... I have no idea why!

We have definitely entered the toddler years and with that has come (with many more to come) many new experiences and hurdles. I look forward to each moment with our little monkey because no moment is dull!!

These are the thoughts of a proud Mommy... please understand that they don't come from a boastful heart... I love Eli with all my heart and know that he is who he is not because of me but because God knit him together and allows me to guide him through this thing called life as I allow Him to guide me! Blessings!!

Putting the BIG Rocks First....

We’ve all heard the story in one form or another; about the teacher who took out a glass jar, filled it with rocks and asked his class: “is the jar full?” “Yes.” The class replied. “No.” the teacher replied. He then took out a bag of gravel and poured it into the jar, then a bag of sand, and finally a pitcher of water until the jar was filled to the brim. “What’s the point of this demonstration?” he asked his students. One student replied, “If you try hard enough, you can fit everything in.” “No” the teacher replied, “If you don’t put the big rocks in first, they won’t fit in at all.

What are the big rocks in our lives? What should the big rocks in our lives be? These big rocks, better known as our priorities are whatever we’re spending our time, energy, and resources on. I was recently given the opportunity to examine my priorities and I can tell you… the big rocks weren’t fitting into my jar because my jar was too full of the things of lesser importance.

What should the big rocks be? God? Family? Marriage? Work? Friends? Hobbies? Vacationing? Money? Sleep? Paying off debt? School? Church? Volunteer work? How do you determine what your big rocks should be when so many things seem important and your life (and the people in it) pull you in a thousand different directions each day?

I took some time today to think and pray about what the big rocks should be in my life when it occurred to me that I first needed a mission statement for my life. A mission statement is a summary describing the aims, values, and overall plan of an organization or individual. What are my values, my aims, my overall plan for me? More importantly, what is God’s values, aims, and overall plan for me? That’s when I created a working mission statement… followed it with what the big rocks in my life should be which each support the mission statement. Each big rock gives reasons why, scripture that shows it’s value, and a plan of action. I also included 5 things that must get done that aren’t a part of these rocks so we will consider that the gravel, and 5 things that must be limited, we will call that the sand. My plan (not all of it because it’s long and some of it personal) is listed below… what’s your plan? I found that my life was running me… I wasn’t talking to God and determining how I was supposed to be following Him in running mine. With His help, I have said the final goodbye to that way of living and I am on my way to leading a more effective, productive, joyful, and fruit filled life attached to the vine (“I am the vine; you’re the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit because you can do nothing without me.” John 15:5)

My working Mission Statement: To live the life that God has blessed me with to the fullest by walking hand in hand in relationship with Him as He guides me and directs my steps. To share His love with the world through a life of Christian discipleship… I want to immolate and exude Christ and the fruits of the Holy Spirit. To live this life and LOVE like I mean it!! To be the Katie that Jesus Christ has called me to be!

My Big Rocks:

1)      God

a.      Why? Because apart from Him I am and can do nothing! John 15:5

2)      Marriage

a.      Why? Because God has blessed me with a husband whom I love and who loves me and I am to be his helper. Genesis 2, Ephesians 5, 1 Corinthians 13, Proverbs 31 (and many others)

3)      Eli

a.      Why? He is our blessing from God as well as our responsibility. “Start off children in the way they should go and even when they are old they will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

4)      Family & Friends

a.      Why? Because loneliness stinks!! God blesses us with family and friends so that we can be encouraged and have support. Jesus showed this example in the disciples…

5)      School

a.      Why? Keeping my eye on the prize … must obtain degree to go onto the bigger things that God has in store.

6)      Weight Loss

a.      Why? To be healthier and fit to do God’s work as well as enjoy my time with Eli to the fullest. “Do you not know that your bodies are temple of the Holy Spirit…” 1 Corinthians 6:19

5 Things that Must Happen:

Housework, Bill paying, Mary Kay, Sleep, church work!

5 Things that Must Be Limited:

Facebook, Television, Magazines, Sleep, and hobbies

Thanks for reading my thoughts! God Bless!

If... I don't usually do these but saw it and thought it would be fun!

If....

This is going around the blog world :)




Fill in the blanks....



If I were to get pregnant again... I would be overjoyed



If I could have any job in the world... Christian Marriage and Family Counselor


If I had a day to myself... I would call my best girlfriend and hang out...


If I could get married all over again...I would marry the same man but do our wedding completely different!


If I could live anywhere in the US... anywhere with my husband and Eli (I would like to remain close to my peeps but I wouldn't mind city living)


If my boy would have been girl they would have been named... Emma Katherine (Emma Kate) or Loreali Elizabeth.


If I could have any talent in the world... a beautiful singing voice


If you met me in real life... I hope that you would say that I radiate Jesus. I had someone tell me the other day that I light up a room... that's probably the 2nd best compliment I've ever gotten. (the first was that I am a really good mommy!)


If I could go back to school and get a different degree... Well, I'm getting my first degree right now, Psychology.


If money was no object... I would have more children and Tommy and I would partner with our friends in their ministry and spread the love of Jesus to anyone and everyone we could!!


If I could meet one celebrity, it would be... Reba, this is no shock to anyone unless you don't know me at all!!!


If I could shop at only one store the rest of my life... Target



If we were to get another pet it would be... NO... NO.... NO.... ABSOLUTELY NO MORE PETS


If I could go on a trip right now... New York City... hands down #1 on my to go to list!


If I had to choose between a house cleaner and a personal chef... I really enjoy cooking so I would definitely  have to say HOUSE CLEANER!!!!



If I had the option of plastic surgery.. I would have things reduced - not enlarged!!! LOL

Boots & Unexpected Blessings

Blessings show up in all sorts of places! They come in many shapes, forms, and sizes! I received a pair of hand-me-down boots this weekend and they are a blessing to me. The lady that gave them was so joyful in her giving, all she saw was someone who received joy in the boots and she wanted to give them to sustain that joy. The truth is that YES those boots brought joy, they are comfy, they are warm, and most of all, and they make me feel pretty and confidant. What that sweet lady didn’t know was that I don’t have any boots… in fact I didn’t have a single pair of winter shoes (aside from sneakers) in my closet. While this wasn’t a deep pressing need… especially in comparison to the inconceivable, astronomical needs of others here and around the world, to me, in a place in my heart, it was important. You see, my family has recently gone from being a 2 bread winner household to being a 1 breadwinner household. Don’t misunderstand me; we lack nothing that we need. God is faithful and He has provided ABOVE AND BEYOND what we could hope for or imagine. As He did through the sweet lady with the beautiful boots that made this brokenhearted young woman remember that I serve a God who truly does care about even the smallest longings of my heart. Not to say that I will want a corvette and because I do, He will give me one… no, that’s not my point, my point is that He used boots to simply remind me of His love, His grace, His mercy, His faithfulness, and to say, “my child, you’re mine and I love you… I see those deep places in your heart that you don’t allow anyone else to see and I care!” This weekend, I was met with many blessings. I didn’t go expecting to come away with personal blessings, I knew I would see the love of God working in the lives of others, and that it would bless my heart but I wasn’t prepared for what happened when I determined to serve God and others out of even the broken places in my heart. When out of obedience to the Father, I stepped out in faith and did what I thought I couldn’t do, many things in fact that I thought I couldn’t do. The truth, that became a living, breathing reality to me this weekend, is that I still can’t do them… not in myself that is, but “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13. This verse no longer means the same thing to me that it has all my life, to me, it doesn’t mean that I can do anything that I want and desire to do but that I can do all things that God desires and wills me to do by relying on His strength, and not my own. Boots were only the beginning!

I have been walking around with a broken heart full of anger, resentment, loneliness, sadness, and un-forgiveness. Carrying this heavy heart that felt like it weighed at least 15 pounds was causing bitterness to creep into my once very joyous walk with the Lord. After a very painful situation, I determined to weep forward and I did… I learned that God can do amazing things through tears and baby steps!!! And guess what, He did!! He worked through my brokenness! However, my heart wasn’t healing… “Why God?” I’m trusting you to heal it… I know you can… “Why God?” That not so comfortable answer came this weekend… “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.” I wasn’t walking in 100% forgiveness, I was trying, but I wasn’t succeeding. I was slowly building walls around my heart so that no one could get to the brokenness that I was hiding. I wasn’t loving my neighbor, in this case, my enemies, as myself… I can’t!... not on my own. So a few days ago, I asked God to remove the unforgivness, the bitterness, the anger, the loneliness, and the sadness. I gave Him every broken piece of my heart and asked Him to heal it. I asked Him to help me to love my enemies. “bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:28 Then, I knelt in prayer and I prayed for the people that I needed to love… I asked God to bless them abundantly and I learned a valuable lesson… through submission, the support of a dear friend, and leading of the Holy Spirit, I realized that God loves those people as much as He loves me!! I knew it in my head, but it became heart knowledge… God loves my enemies, friends, strangers, and loved ones as much as He loves me! We’re all His favorite! Even when we sin and fall short, His love remains faithful and steadfast! Hallelujah!!!!! Isn’t that awesome?

I gave my heart to God this weekend and allowed Him to fill it with love. He did, He filled all the tiny creases of my broken heart with His love, His mercy, and His grace. I’m thankful that He worked through my brokenness and I am also thankful that He lovingly accepted my broken heart when I handed it over to be placed on the potter’s wheel to be reshaped. I lost 15 pounds of “heart weight”… Praise the Lord!

You can’t run when you’re holding suitcases… those baby steps that I was taking through my tears were great for that season but hello to the powerwalk… I dropped the load at the foot of the cross and left it there… isn’t it funny that when I dropped the baggage, I felt light enough to run and what did God give me, new shoes!!! Watch out world, Jesus loves me and He loves you too… PASS IT ON!!!

We Learn so that We can Teach

"Jesus came and told his disciples, 'I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

We learn so that we can teach; the disciples were no exception. Jesus hadn't poured his heart and soul into them, taught them kingdom principles, and walked a long miraculous road with them for the sole purpose of enriching their lives! While yes, it did change and enrich the disciple's lives, the purpose was for them to obey the command, otherwise known as the Great Commission, found in Matthew 28, "therefore, go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

A disciple, among other things, is a growing person as well as a witness of Christ. We must first learn before we can teach. I believe that in order to grow, we must be constantly learning. Of course, there will be periods of life when more learning will be done and significant growth will result more than others, and that is the focus of my post today. Times of significant learning and growth and what we do with the knowledge gained; how we witness it, how it points back to Christ...

Growth isn't always a pleasant process; in fact, it's often a painful one. Sometimes it's painful because God is pruning us to take us to a new level in our relationship with Him, sometimes it's painful because we kick and scream because we don't like change, and sometimes it's painful because other people cause us pain. Do we learn something even when the growth process is unpleasant? Do we learn something that can be shared when we have no words or explanations, when we think that all we have to show from that particular growth is a wounded heart? I didn't think so, but I do now! I think it's through those painful experiences of growth that God can teach us the most about Himself and the most about who He created us to be!! That is the best kind of learning!! That is the kind of learning we can teach!!!

When God teaches us more about who He is and who He created us to be; when we go to a new level of understanding and relationship with Him, and when we realize that we learn so that we can teach; we are ready to move on to step 2 which is being a witness to Christ. We are to go into the world and into the church and model Christ. We aren't called to be perfect people but our goal should be to structure our lives in such a way that every word we say, every step we take, and every thing that we do points them to the One that is perfect. We often think that to make disciples means to go out and bring unbelievers into the faith and I 100% believe that is true but I also think that making disciples starts with being a disciple, someone who learns and grows, and then takes what they learn and teach it to others who might need or be going through the same thing. That includes Christians not just unbelievers. Sometimes, we need to look within, how can what we just learned strengthen our brothers and sisters in Christ so that they too can be more effective in making disciples of all nations and in doing so, further the message of Christ. What I have learned is that if you don't take the time to strengthen, love on, and witness to your brothers and sisters in Christ, then the message you (and they) are sending into the world is one of discord, hatred, strife, and brokenness and that my dear friends, makes us guilty of hurting the message of Christ not furthering it.

So today, let's determine in our hearts to do one thing, to encourage and strengthen a fellow believer so that more unity, strength, and love can be produced from the body of Christ; that will make unbelievers want to learn more!

Thanks for reading my random thoughts.... I hope they are a blessing... for me this is just a way of sharing what's on my heart and mind at the moment. I am not an authority or expert on these topics... just a student! God Bless!

"You is kind, You is smart, You is important"

A few weeks ago, my sweet husband took me on a date to see the movie "The Help"; I highly recommend this film, it's very good, insightful, and inspirational. While many scenes from the movie struck a chord with me, one has played over and over in my mind several times since the first time I saw it. In this scene Abilene Clark, played by Viola Davis, is speaking to the little girl that she takes care of every day; I have to add that this little girl doesn't seem to be very loved or valued by her parents because they think she is ugly and because they are too busy with everything else; she says, "You is kind, You is smart, You is important.".

How incredible are those words? She has just told that child that she matters, that she is valuable!! She doesn't even address how the child looks, although I thought she was darling... it didn't matter, Viola addressed what mattered, what would stay with that child for the rest of her life and help her succeed. Viola understood that if she could convince this young girl that she indeed was kind, smart, and important then she would grow up to be confident and accomplish great things!

"The tongue can bring death or life..." Proverbs 18:21

What is our tongue bringing? What is our tongue bringing to us? What do we speak over ourselves? Do we tell ourselves that we're daughters (or sons) of the most High God and that we are the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus? Do we tell ourselves that we're kind, smart, and important? Do we bring life to ourselves? Or, do we bring death? Do we tell ourselves that we are worthless, stupid, and will never amount to anything?

What is our tongue bringing? What is our tongue bringing to others? What do we speak to/over others? Do we allow our tongue to cut others and make them feel like they are nothing? Do we bring death to them by tearing them down and crushing their spirit? Or, do we bring life with our tongue? Do we tell others that they are loved and accepted? Do we tell others that they are important and that they matter to us and to the world?

What is our tongue bringing? What is our tongue bringing to God? What do we speak about God? Do our tongues bring him glory and honor all the time or only when important people are looking? Do our tongues tell others the importance of knowing God and the love that Jesus showed us in dying on the cross? Do our tongues bring death by denying who He is? Or, do our tongues bring life by sharing the good news of the Gospel to everyone we meet?

What is our tongue bringing? What is our tongue bringing to our children? Do we bring life to our children by building them up or do we bring death to them by tearing them down? Do we tell them that they are kind, smart, and important? Or, do we tell them that they are bad, stupid, and insignificant? I believe that as Christian parents our greatest calling is the ministry we provide to our children; we're called to raise them up in the way that they should go! We're imperfect parents but we have a perfect God to point our children to and it's through God that we can find the strength to do our very best in raising up tomorrow's leaders. Our children will usher in a whole generation of people into the kingdom of God that you and I can't reach but they won't know that they are to do that or that they can do that if we aren't using our tongues to tell them that they can and that they should.

After we saw the movie, I began to make a concise effort to say this to Eli every day, "You're kind, you’re smart, and you’re important." I wanted to use this as a sort of jumping off point in my efforts to build him up, not that I've been tearing him down... just that I wanted to really start using my tongue for LIFE. Now, when I say this to him, this is how he responds: "ind, mart, porant" :) it melts my heart and I know that he is feeling loved and special even though he doesn't fully grasp it yet!

We can't bring life on our own but if we're believers, we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us and through Him we can begin to speak life and use our tongues to build up instead of tear down. Amen?

Time of Transistion: Mommy Days & Mommy Nights....

So much has changed in our lives in the past two months!! Tommy received a position as a Lay Pastor in Boston, GA where he serves 3 churches (Boston, Barwick, and Oak Grove), I left CFUMC and have become a stay at home mommy, pastor's wife, and soon to be student at VSU, and we moved from Cairo, out of the first home that we bought and the one where we brought Eli home from the hospital, into the Boston Parsonage. This has been a season of intense change!!! God has taught us so much during this time of transition and while that is not the point of this post, I wanted to share the main thing I have learned during this time is that if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, all the other things, the things of this world, will grow strangely dim!! I wanted to update you (please bare with all of the pictures!) on this new phase of our lives and on how much E has grown recently. This will be pretty random....

While we have been going through all of these changes, our beautiful toddler has been trying to keep up! Our sweet, wonderful sleeper has had sleep and routine issues the past few weeks which I am very happy to say he seems to be coming out of!! I don't know if he finally got settled or it was all the prayers that his Daddy and I said over him and his room but either way, he's back to his usual 11 hours per night and we have offered prayers of thanksgiving to the Father for that!!!

It has been a HUGE blessing to me that I now have the opportunity to stay home with my sweetie pie!! He is learning so much and growing so much each day that I realize how much I was missing while I worked. DON'T MISUNDERSTAND ME... I LOVED MY WORK... I MISS MY WORK... BUT NOTHING COMPARES TO THIS!!! I also know that many women don't have this opportunity and so there isn't a day that passes that I am not thankful that He has made it possible for our family... He has made way where there seemed to be NO WAY!!

Here are a few things about Eli who will be 16 months in 8 days:
*Eli weighs 25.5 pounds and is over 33" tall!!! When we went to see Dr. K last week, she said he has hit a growth spurt and is ahead on the developmental chart.
*Eli is quickly becoming a Mommy's boy but he gets extremely excited when Daddy comes home and sometimes we have to call him during the day just to say "hi"!
*Eli's favorite people besides us are Tommy's parents (Maw Maw & Paw Paw), Gogee & Grandpa (my mom&dad), and P-Maw & Paw (his godparents).
* Eli's favorite word is, "puppy". He doesn't just say it, he knows what it means and can spot one anywhere, in any picture, book, and television program!! We got a puppy for him and to our suprise, all he wants to do is look at him. All day long, I hear puppy, please, puppy, please... but all E wants is to stand at the backdoor and look at him!! By the way, the puppy's name is "puppy"!
*Eli loves Elmo and for this, I blame his godparents... P-Maw and P-Paw who started the fad with the gift of a Tickle Me Elmo!! (E also spent his fun weekend with them while we moved... I included a few pics :) )
*Veggie Tales is his most loved thing to watch!! He points to the tv and says "Bob, please"... it's adorable and no, I can't say "no" to him when he does it!!
*He LOVES music, dancing, and he walks around the house skipping and calling it "jump"
*His "wubby" is practically glued to his hip and it's hard to get him to go to his crib without it!
*He loves any size ball and has very good aim for a 15 month old!
*He loves being chased and tickled!!
*He loves to streak!!!!!!!!
*Words that Eli can say: Mommy, Daddy, PawPaw, MawMaw, Gogee, P-Maw, P-Paw, Elmo, Bob, Larry, milk, please, thank you, more, puppy, dog, fish, Abby, yes, no, mam, eyes, ears, nose, toes, jump, book, cup, yay, oops, uh oh, bonk, up, down, duck, bath, moo, quack, oh no, oh boy, bunch, this, apple, cheese, and several others that aren't quite as pronounced!!
*Eli has started feeding himself with a spoon which makes a complete mess but it's adorable!!
*Last but not least, he ate cereal for the very first time this morning; it was Cinnoman Life. His favorite foods are yogurt, strawberries, mac n cheese, milk, goldfish, nutrigrain bars, and cheese.

Here are some pictures of the last few weeks... I hope you enjoy them!

Our New Home

The Beginning of the Elmo fad...

All smiles while moving...

Our newest addition... "puppy"

 First meal in the new house

Enjoying all the space to run around... or streak!! LOL

Naptime with Mommy

One of the hundreds of times he looked at the puppy that day!

Looking mischevious

Bedtime with P-Maw

Play Ball!!!

He's funny!

Such a big boy!!

His wubby...

So, there you have it... our life over the past few weeks. Until next time!

My Cup Runneth Over

“You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings." Psalm 23:5

This world will knock you down, push you around, beat you up, and kick you when you're down. People, who live in glass houses, will throw stones. Words will hurt. Lies will be spread like wildfire. Your name will be dragged through the mud. It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, how much money you have or don't have, what your status is, what family you belong to, what school you graduated from, or how many degrees you have on your wall... no one is immune from this kind of treatment and pain. If you live long enough you are sure to experience at least some of what I have just described. That is because we live in a sinful, fallen world and sin comes from the author of lies, Satan himself, the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).

I struggle with blaming people for beating me up, kicking me, pushing me, throwing stones at me, and spreading flat out lies about me. When the reality is, that I am forgetting that scripture tells me that we aren't fighting against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities. (Ephesians 6:12) I am reminded from this scripture that we can all be used; the good news is that we can choose whether or not to be used by God for good or Satan for evil. I believe that is where personal responsibility comes into play. We have to take responsibility for our actions because every action we take is our personal choice but I do believe that it starts with a choice to be used for good or for evil. Evil can come in small packages such as lies and gossip just like good can also come in small packages such as smiles and hugs. When we realize that it's a choice and we realize that we can be used either way, then I believe that we become more proactive about being used for good. I'm choosing to move on in the knowledge that Satan is to blame and that the people that he worked through simply chose at that time to be used for evil, whether knowingly or unknowingly; but that God will always prevail. God will trump Satan every time. Good will overcome evil in the end. I believe that with my whole heart. So in every situation where you're hurt, remember that we aren't fighting against flesh and blood, forgive the person, and pray for their eyes to be opened to His truth and for good to prevail!!

I started this post with the bad.... what this world will do, how you will be wounded... but there is another story. Aren't you glad?! God loves you! His thoughts are for you! His plans are to bring you hope and a future! His grace is abundant. His Word is true! He cares for you! He wants a relationship with you! He will dry your tears! He will bring you comfort! He will give you unmerited favor!  It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, how much money you have or don't have, what your status is, what family you belong to, what school you graduated from, or how many degrees you have on your wall... no one is immune from His love if they simply choose to believe and ask! Isn't that amazing?!

I have known God's love!! I am blessed to say that I know His love! I know His unmerited favor! I know His abundant grace! I know His Word to be true! I have a relationship with Him! The past few weeks have been some of the hardest of my life, the world broke my heart, the world tried to ruin my good name, the world came at me with a pretty powerful punch.... BUT GOD has spoken to my broken heart, protected me and my family, made a way where there seemed to be no way, gave me a HOPE and  a FUTURE that was better than the path that I was on. He has made ALL THINGS work together for my good. Let me tell you how thankful I am! Let me tell you about His love that NEVER FAILS... He will never leave you or forsake you! No matter where you are, who you are, where you've been, how long you've been gone from Him... HIS LOVE NEVER FAILS. My cup runs over with joy and thankfulness tonight because of His love for me. I pray that you, whoever is reading this right now, would know the abundance of His love. As Paul wrote in Ephesians, I pray, "and may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is."

Thank you for reading my thoughts. God Bless You!

Oh Be Careful Little Mouths What You Say....

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words may never hurt me... Anyone ever heard that? Anyone believe that it's true? I don't. Upon saying that I don't believe this, I've had people say, well, words can't hurt you physically... I don't believe that either. Words can hurt, they do hurt... if a person is hurt badly emotionally, and it can cause them physical pain. The spread of certain words, more commonly referred to as gossip can be detrimental to a person's emotions, their reputation, their job, their family, their spirit, and their body.

The dictionary defines "gossip" as idle talk of rumor; especially about the personal or private affairs of others. We've all been guilty of gossip. We Christians like to get our gossip in under the disguise of prayer concerns. I'd be willing to bet that we've all been the topic of gossip. In most cases, the rumors that we're discussing are a tiny bit of truth wrapped into a gigantic burrito of lies. And yet, we spread it anyway...

Remember the words test? I need to be reminded of it... true, kind, necessary. How are we using our words? Are we speaking things that are true, kind, and necessary? Or are we speaking things that aren't true, that are unkind, and that are better left unsaid? I am guilty of not taking the words test... I'm guilty of saying things that are almost always true but they don't measure up as being kind and almost never are the necessary.

I have been the topic of gossip recently. I can tell you with absolute certainty that the "sticks and stones" saying isn't true. I can also tell you that most of the gossip being spread isn't true. Which brings me to my next point. What do we believe? Do our actions line up with what our mouths say that we believe? If we say that we love God and all we do is slander others, then I would say, "No" our actions aren't lining up with what we say we believe. If you're standing in Wal Mart and someone you know comes over to tell you something about someone else that you know; do you stop them when you realize that what they are saying is false and correct them or do you probe for more and engage in idle rumors? How often do we forget the character of the people that we know? We allow others to degrade and disrespect people that we know to be of high moral character when what we should do is cut them off and say, I know that person, that's not who they are and if you have a problem with them, let's go confront it with them present. If we all handled our words that way, a lot less people would be walking around wounded.

I am the first to admit that I am guilty of all of the above. However, I am choosing, daily, to the let the Holy Spirit lead me, direct me, and guide me... my thoughts, my actions, and especially my words. I know I will fail at some point and I'm thankful that I serve a loving, forgiving God who if faithful to forgive me when I do. When we focus on Him, allow our hearts to be filled with His Spirit, and meditate on His word, we are more apt to speak and act in a way that is pleasing to Him; and as Christians, isn't that what we want? To live a life that is pleasing to Him and one that makes others want to know Him?

"Therefore, put to death what belongs to your world nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God's wrath comes on the disobedient. and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old self and it's practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, God's chosen, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. Above all, put on love- the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of the the Messiah to which you were also called in one body, control your hearts, and be thankful." Colossians 3:5-15

Weeping Forward

"Although there will be weeping in this life, the direction in which we weep is truly what matters. Be encouraged. God sees your tears. Cry them, wipe them, feel them, but don't let them stop you. IT'S POSSIBLE TO CRY AND WALK" ~ Kelly Minter

Thursday I realized that I would be saying, "goodbye" to people that I dearly love, a church that has been a second home to me for over two years, and suddenly the 50+ hours that I spent each week working would be free. The reasons for this goodbye are not the point for this post nor are they important... the purpose of this post is that this transition is difficult, there has been (with more to come) a lot of weeping. This morning I said "goodbye" to children that have attached themselves to my heart forever, to their parents, and to my church. During this time of transition and sadness, something kept coming back to mind, a study that I had done on the book of Ruth, the term, "weeping forward" kept repeating itself over and over in my mind, trying to creep into my heart... I realized that the Holy Spirit was trying to bring something to my attention... so tonight, I dug out my Bible study on Ruth and to my surprise...

One year ago to the day... June 23, 2010, I began my journey through Kelly Minter's "Ruth: loss, love, and legacy". If this doesn't reiterate God's timing to you, I'm sorry, but to me, it's undeniable. One year to the day... I began a study on loss, love, and legacy. I began to study a short book in the Bible that is chocked full of incredible nuggets of knowledge and truth. I studied this woman, Ruth, who followed her mother in law, Naomi back to Naomi's homeland; a land in which she would be a stranger, an outcast, where she would have no rights and no one. Ruth had lost her husband, but she chose to "weep forward" and follow her mother in law into a land she didn’t' know, to people that she didn't know; to a God she didn't know.

I followed this woman's journey as she gleaned in a field, as she won the approval of Boaz, as she married Boaz (her kinsman-redeemer), as she gave birth to Obed; I followed her journey from weeping to rejoicing. From setting out to a foreign country with a bitter companion to a beautiful ending in which she gave birth to a son in the direct lineage of Jesus. What a story!

What if she had just wept? What if she had wept and wallowed in her weeping? What if she had wept backwards? The consequences of any of those scenarios wouldn't have ended in such a beautiful story.

"So tell me, what is our ending? Will it be beautiful, so beautiful?" ~ Barlow Girl

I want a beautiful ending. I want a beautiful journey. I am so thankful that God's timing isn't our own. That He orchestrates things in a way that we can't. That He cares so much for me that He led me through a study one year ago andthat he brought it back into my spirit today... to remind me of his plans, of my purpose. There is no doubt that I am weeping but there is also no doubt that I am weeping in any direction but forward!

I am convinced that God has a plan. That he makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him and that in Him I will find everything I need.

“Bring me joy, bring me peace, bring the chance to be free. Bring me anything that brings you glory. I know there’ll be days when this life brings me pain but if that’s what it takes to praise you, Jesus bring the rain”

I am reminded through all of this that:
"He loves us, oh how He loves us, oh how He loves us, oh how He loves! We are His portion and He is our prize. Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes, if grace is an ocean we're all sinking!"

Thankful...

Life is full of choices... good, bad, plain... everything we do is a conscious choice. I don't always make the best choices; in fact, there are a lot of times I make the wrong ones which brings me into my title... thankful.

Thankful for the beautiful gift of a giant box of diapers that someone gave me today, thankful for the coupons for all things baby given to me by another person, thankful for the friend who so generously gave of her time to lend an ear, thankful for a large group of amazing children who learned so much today at VBS, thankful for an incredible group of volunteers who gave so generously of their time to make sure that God's plan unfolds this week in the lives of those amazing children, thankful that the broken light didn't fall and shatter, thankful that the microphone worked in assembly, thankful that Eli smiled at me and gave me a huge hug and kiss, thankful for safety of my family and the comfort of our home... Reading this list, you can see that I have a lot to be thankful for. This, I know to be true.

BUT... instead of remembering all of those wonderful blessing in my life I allow myself to become sidetracked into focusing on the little bit of negative that creeps in from time to time. I enlarge it in my mind and blow it up to the point that it looks so much larger than that long list of good/blessings from one day. Is this just plain human nature? Probably so... but I am realizing that when I become sidetracked, I cease to be effective, and when I cease to be effective, I am not living out the call that God has placed on my life. The truth is that if I stay focused on Him, the good is accentuated but when I focus on other things or people, the good isn't always accentuated. So...

Tonight I keep coming back to one of my very favorite songs and these lines keep running through my head: Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face and the things of Earth shall grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

If we all simply turned our eyes upon Jesus... the struggles of our daily lives wouldn't seem so daunting! This isn't an easy thing to do... we have to make a daily (sometimes moment to moment) choice to refocus our eyes on Jesus and allow the things in our lives that cloud our view to grow dim in the light of His glory and in His wonderful grace.

Thankful for His grace, His mercy, His forgiveness, His love, but most importantly I am supremely thankful for Jesus who laid down His life so that I could choose to follow Him.

7 Years Ago Today

7 years ago today, I married my best friend. That sounds incredibly cliche' I know, but it's really the truth. Tommy is the one person in the world that knows all of me, my secrets, joys, fears, hopes, dreams, good, and bad. He accepts me for me and I love him for that.

7 years ago today, I was 18, Tommy was a whole 1 year older than me!!! :) We were young... we were energized... we were naive... we were excited... we were ready to take the world by storm... we were deeply in love...

Fast forward 7 years... I am 25, Tommy is still a whle 1 year older than me! :) We are still young... we are a little less energized... we are a lot less naive... we are still excited... we still want to take on the world... but most importantly, we are still deeply in love!!!

Our life/marriage is far from perfect. We have bad days but we have days that are supremely good too! We're in love with each other and we have dreams that we want to achieve together. We're blessed to have found each other at such a young age and to have stuck together through the not so good days. We face the next years knowing that the sun doesn't always shine but that as long as we put God first and make each other a priority, that we will go the distance.

Here's a look at us through these 7 years:

Our Wedding Day:

One of my favorite pictures of us: married about 2 years...

Married about 3 years... we decided to get out of town for Thanksgiving...

5th Anniversary trip to Destin...

First Mother's Day... married almost 6 years

And then there were three...

Our most recent family photo...



7 Years :)

Looks like we've made it, look how far we've come my baby. I'M GLAD WE DIDN'T LISTEN

LOOK AT WHAT WE COULD BE MISSING... they said, "I bet, they'll never make it" but just look at us holding on. We're still together still going strong. You're still the one!

Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This... but what we do with them is what's important!!

So, there I was (for those of you who don’t know, the sign that something is about to be a good, listen up story, is ‘so there I was’…) lying in bed on Friday morning somewhere around 1:30 A.M. when I had finally finished my homework and planning for the kid’s event the next night, when I decided to really quickly run through the events that would take place when I woke up in a few hours. These were my thoughts: I will get up at 7:30, hang out with Eli for a few minutes, drink a diet coke, get ready, get Eli ready, swing into Maryland’s for a breakfast sandwich (because the sign out front has been drawing me closer to it every day this week and I haven’t given in… but I know me and operating off of little sleep, a breakfast sandwich will make my morning brighter), will arrive early to Eli’s 1 year picture appointment in Bainbridge with 3 clean, beautiful outfits and his green monkey and we will all be happy to be there (not to mention that pictures will go very well), return to Cairo, drop E off at the sitter, make a mad dash to Tallahassee, shop for VBS and Fabulous Friday supplies, have a nice lunch with my hubby, rush back, have DR. appointment for sinus infection, set up for FF, have super awesome FF, go home, get some sleep… end thoughts!!

I love the quote by Robert Burns, “the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray”… because mine so often do! Here is what my day actually looked like:

7:30 trying to become human (I’m not a morning person)

7:45 in my quest to become human, I grab a Diet Coke… I proceed to drink it while watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with Eli. Eli decides that my drink looks much better than his so he proceeds to hit my diet coke… I have a good grasp, tell him “no” and hand him his sippy cup of good, healthy water. (yay for a good mommy moment!) A few minutes later, he decides he will try again and hits my diet coke, I repeat my previous actions and all is well in Who-Ville. However, a few minutes later, E tries yet again and I don’t have such a good grasp this time… Diet Coke goes flying… all over me, Eli, the red suede couch, the floor, his books…. I say (firmly) "Eli" and try to keep the can from doing any more harm and then, a scream that I have never heard come from my child, fills the room! (boo for a not so good mommy moment!) He was hysterical, I wasn’t happy, we weren’t jiving…  I felt horrible because I couldn’t calm him… this isn’t a pretty scene!

Did I mention that it’s 8:20 and I’m not even close to ready to go? I have finally stopped the screaming and tears but now, my beautiful boy doesn’t want to let me go… he’s attached. Every time I put him down, he screams… It’s 8:50, I am throwing clothes on frantically while E cries and screams from his playpen… I have no makeup on… BTW

It’s 9:10 we’re in the car on the way to Bainbridge, no makeup, no breakfast, no significant amount of caffeine, 1 outfit to wear in pictures, and a baby with puffy eyes from crying… YAY!!!

Pictures go well; I think this horrible morning is turning around. I drop E off at daycare and I’m still not great but I’m optimistic. I swing by the DR office and say that I won’t be able to make my appointment today because I’m running behind… they say, the DR has had a cancellation and is free right now! I’m thinking great… my day has turned around this is awesome! “Okay, great” I say. 1.5 hours later, I leave the office, never saw my doctor, I saw a doctor but mine, who was free, had 3 patients ahead of me…

I drive (quickly) to Tally… meet the hubby for lunch… let’s just say that our time together wasn’t awesome… (We’ve all been there, right?!)

I go to Michael’s to buy VBS supplies… I’m really cramped for time but I park and call hubby to chat for a second and while I’m on the phone, an 84 year old man rear-ends me in the parking lot. YAY! (I do want to say that I was extremely nice to the gentleman even though I was in an incredibly bad mood… I went over Galatians 5:23 in my head…) 45 minutes later when the nice police officer comes and we finish all the paperwork, I head into Michaels. They of course don’t have what I need but I don’t have time to worry about that… onto Wal-Mart.

During my 30 minute drive to Wal-Mart, I call my closest female friend and share the events of my day… this is when my day began to turn around. I realize that all of these other events are being magnified because of my horrible start with E (who I care more about than anything in this world) and I won’t feel any better until I’m holding him. I then decide to take time that I don’t have and go pick him up, (the logistics of how I will set up for the children’s event don’t matter at this point) when I opened the door to the daycare, E saw me, and started jumping up and down in his crib!! My day was instantly better!!! All the rushing, the dent in my car, the diet coke everywhere, the wait at the office… it all didn’t matter anymore… at that moment it was all about what is important.

The point to this really long account of my day? It could have been avoided!! Don’t get me wrong, there are days that are bad and there is nothing you can do about it but not this one. I could have been more prepared, laid out all the outfits ahead of time, gotten up earlier and gotten ready, and started off on the right foot with Eli; but most importantly, I could have and should have gotten up and met with someone of ultimate importance… I should have humbled myself and asked for guidance, wisdom, and peace from God. I should have given Him my day, my to do list, Eli, Tommy, and all of me before the day ever started. Why do we find this so hard to do? That is my goal this week… to meet with Him before I even meet with me!!... let Him lead. That’s what I intend to do with my “day”!

A More Disciplined Life

Since Eli was about 4 weeks old he has lived a very disciplined life; I have kept him on a schedule even when ridiculed for doing so, he has eaten fruits and vegetables and practically NO sugar even though there has been ridicule for that also, and there are things that he isn’t allowed to do; we try our best to make sure that he is living within very healthy, safe boundaries. People have called us crazy, told us to give in, don’t let him cry it out, don’t take away his pacy, don’t keep him on a schedule, give him sugar, let him eat that, let him do that… even in the face of peer pressure, we have stood strong. The result? A baby who sleeps almost 12 hours per night, takes a 3 hour nap in the afternoon, who is happy about 95% of the time, eats his veggies and LOVES fruit, and who has very quickly learned the word “no”. While this might seem like a brag session, it’s really not! My point is actually the complete opposite of bragging… my point is more a question, why is it so hard for me to lead a disciplined life when it comes so natural for me to keep Eli’s life so disciplined? I mean, Eli is on a schedule, has a very good diet, and knows what “no” means… all of the structure and discipline in his life really makes his life positive and happy! I see the discipline in his life and the positive results and yet, I find it so hard to add discipline to my life. I know that eating better, going to the gym, and taking better care of myself will yield a happier, healthier, and yes, sexier me; all of which are important to me and yet I lack self-control and discipline!

This occurred to me the other night at Dairy Queen of all places… Eli rarely has sweets and by rarely, I mean almost NEVER to my knowledge!! So, we thought after his very healthy dinner and playtime outside that a few bites of ice cream would be a nice treat after a hot summer day. So, off to Dairy Queen we went and a few bites of ice cream is exactly what he had. The funny thing is that after about 5 teeny tiny bites of vanilla ice cream, which he thoroughly enjoyed, he was finished and said “up”. Up is Eli’s word for done and signifies that he wants out of his highchair. My 13 month old son exhibited self-control!! Not that he knew what he was doing but he knew that he had enough ice cream and he was done. He ate his treat and that was simply enough… he didn’t need a gigantic portion. Lesson to be learned here… Mommy needs to live a more disciplined life!!! Mommy needs to learn self-control!!

My plan to lead a more disciplined life... I bought some apples at the store tonight and tomorrow I’m going to eat one in my lunch that I will be taking from home, not purchasing at a restaurant. I will also be visiting the gym for at least 30 minutes instead of telling myself the same old excuse that I don’t have time!

“The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and SELF CONTROL” Galatians 5:23

Here are a few pictures from our DQ treat and from our Memorial Day!!