Tuesday, December 26, 2017

my one word ..... JOY (for the 2nd time) & RISE

One Word Living ..... choose one word to focus on for the next year, 2018. Sounds a bit crazy, yet it's doable and so much fun and fascinating to see how this single one word lives in, out, and all around in my part of the world! Try it ... I've done this for a very long time. It's anchoring, refreshing and some times comical how it plays out.  Go on ~ check it out.

myoneword.org

It will take some thought, time and effort & praying too! (at least it does for me!!) I could share why I chose this word, but no one reads this and I've tucked the reasons into my heart for now.

Share your word with me.  I like to give myself a visual reminder of my word & I try to write it some how & some where weekly.  Have fun!!

Blessings .... 2018 is coming!

All because of Christ, Michelle

Thursday, December 14, 2017

MEMORIES

Memories, we all have them!!
What is the youngest memory you have?

And all that we do with our memories!! I scrapbook ~ have done the 12x12's for years, went to 8x8's the last two years .. and I love love love photos! Anyone's photos I can look at .... I secretly create "pages" in my brain ~ everything from paper, colors, embellishments and fun things to say!

Memories ... we do all have them. Some so awesome you can't get the story out quick enough. Some so painful you can't find the exact words to express your sentiment. Some are so silly and funny.  And some happen when you least expect it. MEMORIES ... you do have them.
Care to share a few ~ I would love to hear them.

My heart lives in a 6 year old, Michelle

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

getting to the end of the year ...2017

Countdown to Christmas most definitely!! and without hesitating I am definitely counting down until the new year .... 2018!! I.AM.SERIOUS.  Adios, bye, buh bye, see you later, be gone!

Big breath
        .... so, I know you are asking "WHAT?" AND "Why?" Well, without going into the nitty-gritty details the list is long and ugly.  Some 'items' have been resolved, fixed from the damage of the hurricane, and more issues have popped up, and more keep popping up... UggAMugga!
DONE DONE DONE. KWIM? Any scripture come to mind or resonating in your heart?  Help!!

Isaiah 43:18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past."
FORGET as in do NOT remember it ever ever ever, got it!
Former things as in 2017 ~ got it!
Dwell as in rethink it, talk about it, dream about it, rethink it, talk about it and ..... ~ over it!
On The Past as in 2017.

Extra big breath. Is it over yet???

Blessings to you all ... leave a note, say hello! Seriously, it would be fantastic to hear from you!!
Are you counting down anything?
Are you wanting to forget former things? Let me know and just possibly we can form a tribe ... to help one another, build each other up, pray for one another and support each other as iron sharpens iron.  My prayer, my desire ..... C'mon New Year 2018

Love, Michelle

Sunday, October 22, 2017

sacrifice ….

Sacrifice, what a word & what an action! We make sacrifices every day. What are you sacrificing?
The Bible has clear teachings on this … and throughout my life God has called upon me (and my husband as a couple) to engage in a building campaign. YaY …. here we go again. Oh how the Lord loves a giver.  I want to go on and on, but won't. Covered in prayer and away we go. The campaign is called RISE this time it's in Jupiter, Florida.  Come along with us and I'll keep you posted too.
The thought …. you can't get to "paradise" without sacrifice.

The weight without sacrificing the dessert table.
The MBA without sacrificing time and efforts.
The A grade without sacrificing playtime or television.
The ___________ without sacrificing _______________ …
you fill in the blanks. Let me know!
And how about those paradises … they are real ~ glory some of them.

Blessings,
Michelle

Sunday, June 25, 2017

'disappearing' generational WORDS

True happening: Little one (she's 5.5 years old) heard a song and said this is a new song. I told her it was actually an old song, written long ago that was in a hymnal. She said but a girl is singing it. For the life of me, I couldn't understand what she was telling me.
Step onto the scene, darlin' D ~ dad!
He proceeded to define hymnal. "It's a collection of songs, literature and scripture we use in church."

Little one, "we don't have music books in church. And you mean, like my collection of Bob Reading Books." The cute part of this happening was the hym = him and her wanting in to be a her book.  It was cute …. words, there's so many of them.  Oh & I have been guilty of making up a few words too!!

And to be honest, she hasn't ever seen a hymnal, yet she was able to grasp the concept of collection.

So …… it made my mind race thinking of all the hymnals I've held, studied, sung from. Oh I was happy!! Is she going to miss something, I thought out loud. And Darlin' D said" think of the other generational 'words' she won't ever be exposed to."
1. hymnals
2. inter-office mail
3. short hand, as in stenography
4. memorandum

Was the short list that quickly came to mind.
What about you? Can you think of any generational disappearing words?

Then my heart landed on:
Psalm 119:105
"Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path"

Be blessed and have a great Sunday.

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Reading ...

Oh how this tugs at my heart … I have a short testimony on this SUBJECT.  See, I didn't learn to read until 4th grade (yep, you read that right ~ 4th grade, 10  years old).  Educators would ask me, "Would you like to learn to read today or play?" Me: is that a trick question??? I'll go play be back later!! So … I slipped through! A public school teacher in San Antonio TX on Lackland AFB discovered my secret. And, she said she would meet with me before and after school, to teach me the hardest book ever! Wait, why would I wanna do that? She backed up and told me but it was also the easiest book too.  IT was the King James Bible.  Well, I was intrigued … and agreed, but first WE (her and me) had to tell my folks.  I cautioned her, as they would NOT believe her as I 'read' to them nightly!! I would memorize whatever book my friend read to me that day at lunchtime.

FAST FORWARD: God had a man in mind for me with the last name 'Reader'. Seriously!! Isn't God just too funny?! and able to give me a quick testimony to His greatness.

Reading … I'm a voracious reader!! but this isn't about me!! Little one (she's 5.5 years old) and is reading!! E V E R Y T H I N G!! She grabbed my book ~ she informed me that the words in my book were way smaller than in her lovely books.  To read!! Read and read and read.
Q for U: what are you currently reading?

Enjoy and happy first day of S U M M E R!!


Monday, May 29, 2017

GRACE … God's undeserving love

Why do I mention I'm addicted to grace?

It's been my life …. and I don't see anything changing these days or in the near future!

Me, you ~ all of us are ALL undeserving of God's love! Yet, (oh I love that word …)
He ~ God loves me, you ~ all of us unconditionally ANYWAYS and
only on days that end in 'Y'.  KWIM?!!!
Doesn't that (GRACE) make you smile and get giddy?
(Given something I know I don't deserve.)
YES! YeS! YES.

Care to share some of your grace stories??? Oh how I would love to hear them …. it's what spurs us on to run that race called life!

The undeserving depend on grace. (oh, that's me!) While the entitled are offended by it. The undeserving respond to God in an unrestrained way because they understand His grace.

Care to share how you respond to God? Through nature, music, your family? _______.
I find it endless … because we understand His grace.

Matthew 5:43-48
"Jesus said, “You have heard the law that says, 'Love you neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. In that way you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matt. 5:43-48

All because of Christ,
Michelle


Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Anthem: the days are long but the years are short!!

Back to back … yesterday & TODAY!! I know who would've thunk it!

Such a crazy busy time of the year ~ end of school. It's exciting, fun & exhausting. And
planning summer … Oh, the places we will go!!

The days seem to be excessively long. I was so tired today I sat at a traffic light and actually closed my eyes. (So NOT me!)

Thinking about the year, didn't  I just buy school supplies, uniforms and a new lunch box?
And tomorrow, is her last full day of school.  Ode to Pre-K4 … and off to Kindergarten.

Did I mention, my heart lives ~ thrives ~ dwells within her 5 year old body?

What's next? New adventures, new sights, new clothes … not to mention she's discovered and loves her swim goggles! Bottoms up.

Well, the years are short, very short and I don't want to miss a second of them.

Making memories ….

and by the way, I've upped my bubble blowing expertise and compete with the best O' the best.
Let's blow bubbles some day!

Love, Michelle

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

2017 … I know, it's the end O' May!!

Well ….
blogging didn't exactly happen in 2017 as I intended. So … here I am! Last week of school, and it's craZy accelerated busy and so so so so so much fun!!
Summer is "planned," but we always have time for YOU … wanna go for coffee or let's go swimming!!

My heart is here … really here! And I've thought, prayed, thought some more … and truly hope I can do this more regularly. WHAT do you want to hear & see? WHO do you want to visit, or talk with (because sometimes, coffee chat with a friend is cheaper than a therapist!)?? WHERE do you want to go ~ shopping (not me!),  an exciting adventure (we need one! by the end O' July), the library (oh, yes please!!)?  and HOW … how are we going to do this thing called DAILYNESS ~ it's life, real life … God intended YOU to seek Him, search for Him & enjoy Him TODAY, do the next best/right thing, enjoy it, smile and __________.      Fill in the blank in the comments.
Truly, my heart is living in a 5 year old …. details to follow

All because of Christ,
Michelle