SO many answered prayers!

To a person on the outside looking in, it probably wouldn't look that way. We are still broke and barely have a pot to pee in, still struggling, still wondering what it is God wants me to do. I still need to get back to the doctor and get back on some meds and have others adjusted. Dylan is still a smart-aleck teenager, Jeff is still not saved and the girls are still driving me nuts some days. But...

After hitting what felt like rock bottom last weekend, I can honestly look at my life over the last few months and see how God STILL blessed me. Our God is indeed an awesome God!

Here are just a few updates...

Our bills are paid for January--yeah! And by bills, I mean the important things--rent, utilities, etc. Warm and dry. That's the priority. I honestly wasn't sure we'd make it. But we did. Praise the Lord!

Come to find out, that great wonderful job that Jeff was supposed to get back last Fall--they are already laying people off. He would have been the first to go. So God knew what He was doing but NOT letting him get that job and just keeping him somewhere stable, even if he does have to work for a jerk for practically peanuts. At least they are regular peanuts!

Dylan has new glasses that he has needed for a long time--thank you, Mom. You know I owe you more than I can ever repay and that is in much more than money. You may be a bleeding heart liberal feminist (and what's wrong with that?! LOL) and I DO wish you would realize that God is still watching over you. But you are by far the BEST mom and grandmom (you know, a young 20-something nanny!) in the world and I wouldn't trade you for anything.

Dylan did not get hurt this wrestling season. Nothing major anyway, just a few pulled muscles here and there but for him that is HUGE. At least we don't have to go through anymore broken bones/physical therapy for a while because of sports. Now that wrestling is over, he is excited about getting his boat ready to go fishing.

Dylan passed his driver's test! He took it at school. All we have to do is take the card and the eye exam form to the DMV and he is a licensed driver. If you happen to be on OSR--lookout! LOL

Kayti is relieved to have dropped that dreadful English class. She is happy to be reading The Watsons Go to Birmingham on her own and learning about the Civil Rights movement. She is also a great help to me Friday afternoons with my preschool dance class and is looking forward to the Middle School Spring play. She is also enjoying being on the drama team and is trying hard to "pop it", Miss Shalita! She certainly doesn't want me up in front of the church in my hip scarf and zils! LOL (I know most of you probably DON'T want to see that and that is why I do not perform publicly!)

Kayti also organized and rearranged her room last weekend. Is she so my kid or what? I did not even bring this up. We just did this last Fall. But she wanted the bunk beds separated and to do that, we had to move stuff and get rid of a LOT! They seem to like it much better this way.

Brooke has had TWO dinner-and-a-movie dates in the last two weeks--thank you, Tere & Donna! She and Hannah are SO excited about their upcoming dance competitions.

Jeff and I have filed our income tax return and it wasn't so bad. We are getting back more than we expected so maybe that will ease some of our stress. Even so after a few knock-down drag outs and "come to Jesus" meetings, we had a heart to heart and are doing much better. I hate when we go through these spells. But we've been married long enough to know that they are temporary (thank God) and everything is going to be okay.

Still working but already thinking about my options for the summer and next school year. My baby sister did NOT get the house she wanted and is going to continue staying at home (I would be devastated but she has such a great attitude!). My niece is getting married.

That's about it!

Blessings!

Be still...

Okay, it really stinks when you haven't blogged in so long and you want to catch everyone up to date but don't really know WHERE to begin!

I will start with the most important thing...what God has been teaching me lately.

Those of you who know me well know that my whole life has been defined by one word. No, not that word! LOL Okay, maybe that one is a little true, too but I'm actually thinking of another B word--business. Not business like 'mind-your-own-business' but busy-ness. As in, I've always been WAY too busy. It's a side effect of having way too many interests. I don't know why the Lord made me this way but He did and for the most part I will rejoice and be glad in it! My interests have taken me so many places--literally and figuratively. I've learned more than I ever could had I been born with tunnel vision and a single purpose. But it is so true that a person can get TOO busy and have more problems as a result. Slowly but surely, as I get older, God is showing me that He wants me to be still. Be still and listen to what He has to teach me and show me. Be still and trust in Him. Be still and know that He is God and that He is in control even when I am NOT.

We have slacked off some of our activities lately in effort to be more still. I am only teaching one class for the co-op and Brooke is only taking one class. Kayti is not taking ANY classes for co-op and may very well be dropping one of her CORE classes (that's a whole 'nother blog and we desperately need your prayers in that area!)

I've purged some of our television programs from our viewing and am limiting our internet access. Truthfully, that came about not by choice at first but I'm learning that it has definitely had its benefits!

Over and over God has been confirming to me that this is what He wants and even though sometimes I feel very bored and I have to hear the kids tell me how bored they are, whenever I open His Word, my eyes immediately fall on the words "be still" somewhere, regardless of what I'm studying or reading! Be still. Be still. Be still.
So I'm trying to do just that. It's hard.

I'm okay...

I honestly didn't mean to worry everyone needlessly, though I DO appreciate the thoughts, prayers, concerns. God has really taught me about true friendship this past month! Thank you, Lord!

I'm okay, we're okay, everything's okay. Continue to be way too busy but I'm working on that, sort of. You know I'm not happy sitting still even though I know I should "be still". So we're dealin'. I have felt the presence of my friends interceding for me lately and you cannot know how much you all mean to me! I thank God for each and every one of you every day, I truly do.

I will catch everyone up very soon, I promise! Until then,

Be blessed!!!