Updating with a few pictures...

Happy 14th Birthday, Kayti!!!!






Went out last Saturday night with some old friends from High School and we had a BLAST!!!! It was great to see them again and I think we all still look pretty darn good!





I started something this week that is very important but I'm not ready to talk about it yet. Just know that I appreciate your prayers during this time.

Job search has hit a plateau as well...I really need God to give me some direction here as a LOT of decisions that we have to make are going to depend on my ability to earn a living.

Workout is going great and I have begun training for my first 5k! I'm doing pretty well. My only goal for this one is to finish in an upright position! It's a Pink Fun Run for breast cancer in Gardendale 7/23. If you can, come on out and cheer us (me and my bff Donna) on--we would greatly appreciate it!

I've increased my weights and reps and cut a LOT of things out of my diet, including greatly reducing my caffeine intake. And of course, I'm still doing Zumba! I absolutely love it and I have a new goal--to become a certified instructor!!! That will be a few months at least as I have to find a workshop nearby that I can attend and be actually READY to do it. But I'm getting VERY close. I absolutely LOVE it! Burned 850 calories the other night--equivalent of running 6 miles! If you've ever wondered about it, I encourage you to give it a try and dont be discouraged if you dont get the steps the first time--just keep moving, it'll come! It's SO much fun!

Girls are getting excited about CORE and Senior pictures for Dylan (as well as Senior year registration) is in the next few weeks. I need prayers for this, too. I'm not handling this well at all!

Have a blessed week!

I love my church...

Love love love it! Our pastors, our praise & worship team, atmosphere, presence of the Holy Spirit, the people, the coffee! lol

But one thing I have been blessed immeasurably by are the resources they provide. The One-year bible and accompanying devotionals are just amazing. Today's spoke volumes to me! If you are so inclined, check it out at www.churchofthehighlands.com

I'm going through a season of life right now where there are so many unknowns and it's just not something I'm used to. I am a planner--"annoyingly organized" (lol, love you Jenn!) and am not often unsure of things or indecisive. It's not that I dont like spontaneity or surprises...I just want to know when they're coming and they better be good ones! haha

It's not that I always have it all together either--I've been through lots of transitions in life, some bad, mostly good. But it's usually been a "one-thing-at-a-time" kind of deal. I've NEVER had so much hit me at once--my son becoming a man (an awesome young man) and making plans to leave the nest, being without a job and at a crossroads in my career, a struggling marriage...it's a lot to handle at once and I know there are people who have handled MUCH worse and MUCH more. I admire their resolve to keep at it. But it's new territory for me...not being in control.

But I am learning...to take it not just one day at a time but one hour at a time. And in doing so, I'm finding that God is reassuring me of the things I've learned--that He will always love me no matter what. That He wants the very best for me and wants me to choose good and flee from evil but delights in me anyway, even when I'm naughty. Thank you, God for your grace and thank you for catching me when I fall and bringing me "back in your arms again" (Mark Schultz) Thank you for leading me to a church and to friends that truly "get" it. You know who you are! And I love you more than you can imagine!

The book I just finished and other deep thoughts...

Friendship for Grownups by Lisa Whelchel

I just love this woman! Everything she writes is just beautiful, from the heart and honest. And SO MUCH of it is what goes on inside my own head so it really just amazes me!

You may or may not believe this but friendship has always been an area I've struggled with. I've always had "buddies" and "girlfriends", etc. and there have been various times in my life where I've felt very close to certain people--perhaps even you! But then my environment changes (or yours does), life leads us in different directions and the connection, though maybe still there, is not quite as strong as it was.

I have never EVER in my life had a lifelong best friend. I envy my little sister, Mia very much that she and her friend LaDonna have literally been friends--good, close friends, for 21 years! Since kindergarten they have grown up together and shared so much. Our two families are forever bonded through their relationship--it's like having a whole 'nother set of siblings!

So seven years ago, when we moved away from Tarrant where I'd literally lived my entire life, changed professions after 15 years, and came back to having a relationship with the one and only living God, I began to pray for friends.

Many people have come in and out of my life in the last seven years (so that part hasn't changed from the rest of my life I guess) I have lots of casual "friends" but only a very few really CLOSE friends. Safe friends. Heart and soul friends.

I know many people that are married to their best friend. I have been at times. That's the way marriage is for some of us I guess--it takes a LOT of work. Kids, money, stress, sex, relatives, health issues, spirituality issues, differences in views on life, differing aspirations and goals, etc.while part of normal life are sometimes used by the enemy to seek and destroy. The fact that we are still together after 20 years amazes most people, especially me, given we married VERY young! There have been many times I've been close to walking away and if I'm being totally and completely honest, we're there again. We're trying, we really are. The reasons, while important, aren't relevant to this little blog so I'll save that for another time. And please don't think I'm trashing my husband. He is a good man and the issues we face are ours to deal with one way or another. But my point is, he's not always my "friend".

I know many people whose mom is their best friend and I gotta say, mine really comes close. I have a totally awesome mom that would do anything for me and my kids (and has) and we are really close and we share a LOT. I love her dearly. But again, she's my mom. And as much as it pains me to say it, there are still some deep dark places inside that I don't want to show her because SHE'S MY MOM and I love her too much!

My kids' friends have brought me friends via their parents and those relationships are wonderful! I know that they love me and my kids and I love them and theirs and am so grateful for the fellowship we share.

I have friends that I know through work, college and my professional life. Friends that share hobbies with me, friends from church and friends I've met on the 'net that I've NEVER met in real life but know more about me than some people I see everyday.

There are friends that I've known since childhood and through the wonder of technology have been very blessed to be able to reconnect with and it's been great--especially now that we are all older and wiser (or maybe sometimes just older!)

I have a WONDERFUL prayer partner who comes as close to the friendship I've prayed for more than anyone has ever!

God has answered my prayer for friends tenfold. If you seek friends, pray for them!

Friends are the visible manifestation of God's grace~~Lisa

How true is that? We NEED friends of all kinds and lots of them. Though we may only ever have one or two close friends, SAFE friends, over the course of our entire lives--all friendships serve a purpose, whether it's to help us, teach us, or sometimes discipline us.

So treasure your friends! The bible says a friend loves at all times. Always aim to be that kind of friend, regardless because you NEVER KNOW when you will NEED that kind of friend!

Here are a few more nuggets of truth I picked out from the book to share:

Dealing with our past and learning new ways of relating are very important if we want to be safe friend to others.

It's important to deal with our own broken places so we don't inadvertently break others.

Friendship is a journey, as is faith.

Value intimacy with yourself as much as intimacy with God and others. When you talk to yourself, be both honest and gentle.

When my little girls were acting foolish, childish, and a wee bit naughty, they still delighted my heart because they were my daughters and I didn't expect them to be perfect. [This is a] perfect illustration of God's supernatural love. God DELIGHTS in us--we don't have to be perfect!

May God grant you an incarnation of His love through the gift of intimate friendships

Blessings!