God Is Good All The Time

"God is so good. God is so good. God is so good, He's so good to me, AMEN"
Through the help of his older sister, my 2 year old is learning about saying the blessing before eating a meal. I love watching my 5 year old explain the importance of thanking God for our food. Sometimes it is with real love, and wanting to teach him something she's learned. Sometimes, she is bossy, and too informative when he forgets. (I can't imagine where she gets that!) But all the while, my boy loves to sing "God is so good" for his blessing. And it is really very sweet. This morning, he came to the kitchen to ask for something to eat. (he doesn't talk well, so you basically understand only one word out of his sentence, and that is "EAT!"). I said, "OK, you want to eat?" and he imediately became excited, he started jumping up and down, and began singing "God is so good". His enthusiasm for giving thanks is exactly what we should all have. I should look for more opportunities to proclaim how good my God is. I should praise Him with the excitement of a 2 year old. I know my God is good. He gets me through each day. He helps me through my failures. He loves me despite my lack of faith. He forgives me despite the magnitude of my sins. I have much to sing about! "God is so good. God is so good. God is so good, He's so good to me, AMEN!"
J

How To Weigh...upsidedown!

OK, I guess I need to quit denying what is obvious to any eyes that look at me! It's time to loose weight! I've been in denial, imagining myself as being much thinner than I actually am, and all the while, eating like today is the last day on earth and I need to enjoy every "morsel" of it! Can you believe I've gaine weight with this mindset????? It's unimaginable to me, but I have been my most uncomfortable today as my "fat jeans" are now getting too tight! And now that I am not doing Jazzercise anymore, I've got to start walking, or something to keep this hopeful image of a more thinner me alive in my mind and make it happen on the actual body itself! Several years ago (3 to be exact) I was able to loose about 35 pounds (give or take one or two-you know, water weight!!) by following the Weight Watchers way of life. That program actually does work for me, because I have the ability to eat anything I want, I just have to allow myself the "points" for it. (That means I didn't have to go cold turkey and cut out the chocolate I love so dearly!!). The problem is that once you go off program (whether it is intentionally or because one becomes pregnant and gains weight anyway-which is my case), it is incredibly hard to get back on program! I have a good friend who is a WW leader, and I am thinking I might have to enlist her in some "under cover" meetings, as the price of a WW meeting is too much for me right now! (I know $11 may not seem much to some, but when you have a job that pays nothing monetarily.....) Anyway, here is just another rambling from my daily life. Suprisingly I have had more to say in a blog that I really ever thought I would. Which is odd, since I have lots to say in conversations to people and most of the time they have to cut me off or ignore me since I tend to speak up and out a little too much!
Until the next rambling....
J

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

Once again, I am brought to the mysteries of life when I question why bad things happen to good people. As a dear friend of mine lays in a hospital bed, fearful yet hopeful that her baby will be alright and she will be able to continue her pregnancy to term, my mind automatically questions "Why". I don't think I even have to concentrate to make that appear in my head, it just goes there...perhaps a sign of my human nature. I am a believer in the One who gives life, the Creator of all life. I know that my God is in control and has a plan for all things in life. Perhaps that is also why I am a generally optomistic person, who usually doesn't believe in "bad things" until it slaps me in the face and I have no chance to deny it! Romans 8:28 says "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose". That verse speaks volumes to me. First, "In all things, God works for the good"...wow! That tells me that God is working even in those moments where life seems to come to a screeching halt! I may not understand the reasons, but it is all according to his purpose. While we don't wish bad things to happen (to good people or any people for that matter), I think the truest test of what kind of person you are comes with how you handle the situation. As humans, it is natural to question "Why?", and to even become angry, scared, and anxious. But it is in those moments that all the focus should be turned to the Lord! If you read the 8th chapter of Romans a little further, it also says in verse 31, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" God is not against us in the bad times, he is for us. He is with us. He can comfort us. He can give us answers. It is in the bad times, that God draws us nearer to Him. And quite frankly, without the comfort of the Holy Spirit, I don't know how to function in the bad times. He is my strength when I am weak. He is the treasure that I seek. He is my all in all.
Say a prayer for my friends and their unborn child.
J

On Your Mark, Get Set, BLOG!

Let It Begin!
So here is the begining of my blogging life. Who knows what, if anything, will come of this, but I thought it would be fun to give it a try. There are a few things going on in my life. First one, my kids are starting preschool in the next couple of weeks, and it is the first time in 5 years that I have been home without a child. My 5 year old is going to kindergarten, and my 2 year old starts his preschool class 2 days a week. So what am I going to do with the extra time on my hands? Stay tuned!
Secondly, I get to go on a 24 hour excursion in a couple of weeks to Nashville! I have the opportunity to go to the red carpet premeire of "Broken Bridges" which is the new movie starring my all time favorite country music superstar, Mr. Toby Keith. I am so excited, and I have got to figure out what I'm wearing to this shindig! My sis in law (who has been to several red carpet events) says to be comfortable! We are not the stars of this event, so we won't need to be all dressy-but I do want to wear something that is sortof nice, even if it means someone pours beer on it at some point during the night! I'll blog after the event with details.
And thirdly-I'm thinking about going back to school. While recently at a friends house, who happens to work as an advisor in the community college I used to attend some 10 years ago, he happened to pull up my old transcripts on the web and it turns out, that I could get my 1 year certificate in Child Developement with only 5 classes left. So it makes sense to go do it, right???? Well, maybe not. It all depends on that other thing that makes my world go round! MONEY! I have begun looking into the financial aid thing via the internet, and let me just say that it all makes me crazy!!! I can't believe there is so much information required! I get so overwhelmed the minute the website pulls up that I just wanna scream. So again, stay tuned for more info on this little detail of my life.
Well, there it is...my first blog post. Not that anyone will read this, or even care if they do...but here we go a blogging.
Until the next one (if there will be...)
J