Caffeinated Randomness: From Tuesday/Friday

I don't seem to have the instantaneous Christmas joy as the other writers today. I think this is due to several factors, but I trust at least some of my usual seasonal excitement will arrive in time.

Tuesday was like my Friday because it was my last day of work for the week.

I commuted from Vail to Eagle for work because I have been staying with my parents in Vail since they arrived to spend as much time with them as possible on this trip.

This means that I had a 30 mile commute to work instead of a 3 mile commute to work and within the 30 miles is a Starbucks. :)

I decided Tuesday (my version of Friday) would be the perfect day for my first Christmas Favorite Starbucks drink of the season -- Peppermint Mocha (nonfat, no-whip).

Since I was at Starbucks in a happy mood on a Tuesday (that felt like Friday), I went ahead and bought a seasonal coffee drink for each of my employees. :) That cost added up, but I was expecting it, and again... feeling festive and charitable.

Well, this was also the day of the K-LOVE Hope For the Hungry drive and I was listening to the morning show the whole 30 miles. A $2.00 donation feeds one person for a holiday meal... and here I just purchased 5 holiday drinks from Starbucks (for more than $2.00 a drink)... and so I figured I could donate AT LEAST the amount I spent on festive drinks to a Rescue Mission in Grand Junction, CO through the K-LOVE drive.

I have felt very inspired by Amy's writing at Filled With Joy about giving what I can. I am excited to enter a Christmas season with this mindset.

For more Christmas Caffeinated Randomness, visit Andrea.

Thankful Thursday: Mighty To Save!

On this Thankful Thursday, Happy Thanksgiving!

Before I write my Thanksgiving post, PLEASE PRAY FOR "ELLIE". She is one of my students and the county is in the process of finding a permanent adoption home for her. PLEASE PRAY that she will be placed in the PERFECT home, which God is preparing for his beautiful child.


Today I am very thankful for many things, but I want to focus on one theme:

1. I am thankful my God is Might To Save! He promises He is Mighty To Save.

2. I am thankful for the Word. I am thankful that the Word is Truth. I am thankful that I own a Bible. I own SEVERAL Bibles. For thoughts about the abundance of Bibles in our country, read What is Lost Living In Abundance?

3. I am thankful for where I live. I don't think you have really experienced the full blessing of the song, "Mighty To Save" until you have sung this song in the mountains. When you hear a room full of Christ-followers singing the words, "Savior, He can move the mountains..." it is amazing. We live in the mountains. We have learned to live among the mountains and RESPECT the majesty of the mountains. When we travel, we are prepared because the mountains can be ferocious. They house wild animals and hide dangerous storms. But when we sing that our Savior can MOVE the mountains... we have a deep understanding of what we are claiming. I am thankful I live here.

4. I am thankful for songs that declare the glory, goodness and promises of my God. Of GOD. He is not just my God... He IS God. I drove from Vail to Eagle back to Vail yesterday (30 miles and 2000+ vertical feet) and I sang how my God is mighty to save and He does move the mountains.


5. Lastly, I am thankful my God moves in the lives of His children and communicates with them.

Paul is coming to Vail for Thanksgiving with my parents even though I've told him not to come. He recognizes that time is not on the side of our relationship and he feels it is in our best interest as a couple to spend these holiday days together.

Your prayers are appreciated as I predict we have several intense and emotional days ahead.

Above all, we both want the Will of God. We also want our hearts protected.

Our Father is Great and Mighty. He will move these days. I just don't know which direction He will move.

Thank you for your prayers.

For more Thankful Thursday on this beautiful Thanksgiving, visit Truth 4 Today.

Word-Filled Wednesday: James 1:2-4

James 1:2-4

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
But let patience have its perfect work,
that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking nothing."

Keep Praying

Thank you for all the encouraging words, stories, personal experiences and prayers. I know God is moving - both in my heart and my head and my world... but please keep praying.

I am at a point where I really don't know what each day will bring, but I know your prayers are making a difference.

Thank you and Praise God.

As I'm writing that, I realize I don't want you to get the wrong idea. Things are still very painful, very uncertain and very unsteady. But whatever happens, however God moves and leads in the coming days... or the coming hours, Praise God.

I'm reminded of the lyrics of a beautiful song:

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Be blessed... and PLEASE keep praying.

Help

How do you believe when you can't believe? How do you hope when you can't hope?

I'm not being hypothetical... seriously, how do you believe when you can't believe? How do you hope when you can't hope?

This is not about God. But people.

How do you believe when you can't believe?

How do you forgive seventy times seven and STILL believe? I'm out. I am out of hope. I don't remember ever feeling this way before and I don't know what to do.

There is no rainbow of promise. There is no olive sprig in the fist of a dove.

How do you keep living, keep breathing, keep smiling, keep believing when hope is gone?

Help.

It's Friday... really?

Like my friend, Christy, I miss Caffeinated Randomness with my Friday coffee. There just seems to be something more fun with the randomness when I'm in fellowship with other random people.

Unlike my former Caffeinated Randomnesses (more than one Caffeinated Randomness... how do I make that plural?), I feel very un-caffeinated. I have been under-the-weather for nearly two weeks now, and I guess I over did it last night. Also, the only medicine I've been taking is a nightly Theraflu to try to clear up my congestion and help me sleep. Well, I don't think I slept it all off last night, because I can barely keep my eyes open.

Today I feel like there is little I can count on. The Lord is good and perfect and the same yesterday and today and forever. But He is all that is reliable.

I've titled this post It's Friday... really? because I don't feel like I can count on the fact its Friday. I don't really think I can rejoice that it is Friday. As soon as I start to really embrace the fact its Friday, really rest in the fact its Friday, something will happen and it won't be Friday, or someone will correct me that my dates are off, and No, it's not Friday.

Okay, I just heard someone say, "Happy Friday!" outside my door... maybe it's true. But I don't believe everything I hear. If someone said, "Time to streak!" or "The high is going to be 80* today!" outside my door, I wouldn't believe them.

All I can count on today is this,

"One thing God has spoken,
Two things I have heard:
That You, O God are strong
And You, O Lord, are loving."
Psalm 62:11-12

I pray you a blessed today. I pray you are more awake than I am. I pray you have hope. Wherever you are, whatever you are facing, I pray for hope for you. To read a great post about hope, visit Heart 2 Heart.

Thankful Thursday - at least trying

I am not thankful today and I don't want to "put on a happy face" and pretend that I am; so I will write scripture because I do still love the Word.

1. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
2. "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 4:20-21
3. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9
4. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30
5. "Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor* a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt..." Hosea 2:14-15

* Achor means trouble

For more Thankful Thursday visit Truth 4 Today.

Word-Filled Wednesday: Isaiah 44:24-27

Isaiah 44:24-27
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
And He who formed you from the womb:

"I am the Lord, who makes all things,
Who stretches out the heavens all alone,
Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;

Who frustrates the signs of the babblers,And drives diviners mad;

Who turns wise men backward,
And makes their knowledge foolishness;

Who confirms the word of His servantAnd performs the counsel of His messengers;

Who says to Jerusalem, 'You shall be inhabited,'

To the cities of Judah, 'You shall be built,'

And I will raise up her waste places;
Who says to the deep, 'Be dry!

And I will dry up your rivers';

For more Word-Filled Wednesday visit Critty Joy!

Thankful Thursday

1. I am thankful for a job where I feel needed. I'm working very hard to turn these feelings into thanksgiving, because they stem from a frustrated, "Nothing gets done if I don't do it myself." I know this feeling is not true, but I do feel very needed at my job and for that I am thankful.
2. I am thankful that I am feeling better. I was sick all weekend and home sick on Monday (my first sick day on the job). Even the days I've been back to work, I've felt exhausted and drained. I am thankful that this ailment seems to have been temporary and I'm prayerful for those terminally ill.
3. I am thankful that the Lord keeps me in prayer. This, like my first thanks is a thankfulness I am still working on. I will share more details when things are more final... but I am still in prayer... even when doors appear to be open, I must remain in prayer... when doors appear to be closed, I must remain in prayer. I know it is the best place to be, the safest place to be... I am thankful the the Lord keeps me here.
4. I am SOOOO thankful tomorrow is Friday. And Friday the 13th at that! I am taking the day off work to fly to Texas for a friend's wedding. It is Paul's 25th birthday! He is flying to Texas for my friend's wedding! We haven't seen each other in what feels like FOREVER... really, it's about five weeks. Much too long, that's for sure.
5. I am thankful for all the loved ones I get to see in Texas this weekend! My best friend from college lives in Austin, so we're meeting for lunch in Waco. One of my best friends from Vanderbilt lives in Dallas, so he is housing Paul and me for the weekend. Then, of course, a friend of mine is getting married, so I'll get to celebrate with him and see all of our college friends are the wedding!
6. I know the rule is supposed to be five, but I am thankful for the Country Music Awards! So silly, and yet so enjoyable each year. It's the only awards show I watch and I LOVE this one. I lived in Nashville before I moved to Colorado, and my years in Nashville really helped me to love this event. I even attended the show last year and it was amazing. I cried multiple times... sometimes even at the memory. I think Country is one of the few genres left that really does honor God, Family and Country. Thank you to America's Country artists who keep it real and pour out their hearts and emotions in beautiful music.

For more Thankful Thursday, visit Truth 4 Today. :)

Word-Filled Wednesday: John 12:27-28

John 12:27-28

"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say?
'Father, save me from this hour'?
No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.
Father, glorify your name!"

For some reason, I believe this when Jesus says it, but I repeatedly have a hard time applying it for my life. If my heart is troubled, do I often thing, "It was for this very reason I came to this hour?"

Not usually.

When my heart is troubled, I rarely rest in the trouble... I want OUT of the trouble. I want peace. I feel sinful or without faith because my heart is troubled -- nowhere in Proverbs 31 does it talk about "Blessed is she, for her heart is troubled..."

And yet, Jesus seems to find peace in this feeling. In His understanding of His Father, He recognizes that not only will His life have heartache, but His troubled heart is the very purpose to His life in that moment.

What a different perspective on a troubled heart than I usually take... such a perspective I desire.

For more Word-Filled Wednesday visit here.

Honest Scrap Award

Last week I was blessed to receive the Honest Scrap Award from a brilliant blogging dog. (I have to wonder if he meant the award for me, or for my cat...) As an award recipient, I was asked to write ten things you may not know about me:

1. It drives me crazy when people send me emails without a subject in the subject line. The subject can have NOTHING to do with the content of the email, but PLEASE don't leave it blank.
2. I love to run outside but rarely make time to do so when school is in session. As a matter of fact, it is an answer to prayer that I do love to run... my senior year of college I became engaged to be married, and my fiance and I decided we wanted to run together. I was in particular discomfort on one such run and I just cried out to God in my heart that He would make me love running. I said, "Lord, this is the man I'm engaged to marry and I want this to be something we can both enjoy. My parents both run and I want the two of us to have that joy in running together. Lord, make me one of those crazy people who's day cannot start if they haven't gone running." If memory serves, I prayed that prayer in early March and my engagement ended the end of April. The parting was not mutual and I was heartbroken. Every morning thereafter, when I woke up in the morning, I felt, in my pain, I had two choices (1) to lay in bed and cry or (2) to get up and go running. Every morning I went running. I have loved running ever since. God definitely answered my prayer to love running... just not exactly in the way I would have expected.
3. I was raised my whole life in Michigan, but I was born in Florida. I'll share the whole story behind being born in Florida on my birthday.
4. I was born on Friday the 13th; therefore, Friday the 13th remains one of my favorite days of the year... there is one coming THIS FRIDAY! :)
5. My parents are 21 years a part in age and have been married for 28 years.
6. I have two older siblings who are my dad's children, Tracey and Trent. They are older by 21 years and 17 years.
7. Tracey got married when I was 5 to Dan Wellner. They were married almost 10 years when Dan died of cancer. Four years later, right after I graduated high school, Tracey died of cancer.
8. I have two masters degrees and have applied to begin working toward a third. One degree is in Early Childhood Education, one degree is in Special Education with an emphasis in children with visual disabilities (children who are blind or visually impaired), and the one I will begin working toward is in Special Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Special Education (children with a variety of special needs ages birth-6).
9. My greatest desire is to work alongside a husband who is completely sold out for the Lord.*
10. Another desire I have is to raise a house-full of children and to home school them.*

* Both of these are contingent on the Lord's Will and His leading when the time comes...

In keeping with the awards, I'd like to recognize Kelly at Joyful Adorations with the Honest Scrap Award.

Thankful Thursday: On Friday!

I am thankful this week, but I'm a day late on relaying it to the outside world...

1. I was evaluated this week by my superiors. I am so thankful for this process and opportunity to become a better educator as advised by my two direct superiors. The evaluation occurred on Tuesday and I just had my debriefing this morning. I respect my superiors and I was the first director they evaluated so it was a very open process full of "reinforcement" and "refinement" opportunities. Proverbs 9:8 says, "Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you." I want to be a wise child of God and I want correction when available.
2. This is so incredibly silly, but I am thankful for the new GOOGLE image my computer has shown me every time I've done a google search this week. Somehow, I became a part of the Sesame Street Google partnership and I'm LOVING it! Earlier in the week, my google L and E were made from Big Bird's legs, and now Bert and Ernie are my Os. This has made me stop and smile every time I've seen it this week. Thank you Google for rekindling my fond memories of Sesame Street. Here's a fun and random fact about me: When I got home from preschool and kindergarten when I was a child, I would watch Sesame Street and the Cosby Show. That was my afternoon pair. :)
3. Okay, this next one is REALLY off the wall. I am thankful for the cough I've managed to pick up. I know, why should I be thankful for a cough? It's totally nutty -- maybe it's more than a cough and I should have my head examined, but seriously, I am thankful for this cough. I take for granted how easily I usually breathe, talk, laugh and sing. This has not been the case for the past 36 hours and it has made me so grateful for how healthy I usually am. Also, I've had to take inventory of how much I talk during the day, and speak more quietly and only when necessary. Now, I sincerely hope and pray that my mild cough stays exactly that, a mild cough, but in the meantime, I'm trying to drink plenty of liquids, get plenty of rest and focus on being thankful.
4. I am so thankful for my roommates. This comes to mind because it was one of my roommates who passed along the cough, but I LOVE my roommates regardless of germs! It is not like we are best friends or even consistently hanging out, but I love living with other Godly women. I'm racking my brain for some story to tell or something fun to share about our being roommates, but I'm coming up short. Today it's not funny or fancy, it simply is: I am so blessed to have "Mae and Jay" as my two roommates.
5. I am thankful for a date night with Paul and even more thankful I am going to see him next weekend. Tonight was are watching Star Wars Episode V. Two weeks ago we watched Episode IV, and tonight we just finished V. I had never seen any of Star Wars until two weeks ago when Paul and I watched IV. We've just finished V, and I've insisted that we watch VI tonight because I don't want to go to bed until I see the end. Paul has had fun watching me enjoy Star Wars for the first time. Yoda was adorable but I think Chewy is my favorite of the crazy creatures. For those of you remembering that Paul and I live 1300 miles away, you may be wondering how we watch movies together - we video chat and press play at the same time. Welcome to the future and to a very real reality of our "virtual" dates.

To catch up on more Thankful Thursday Gratefulness, visit Truth 4 Today.

Word-Filled Wednesday: Ecclesiastes 7:14

Ecclesiastes 7:14

In the day of prosperity be joyful,
But in the day of adversity consider:
Surely God has appointed the one
as well as the other,
So that man can find out nothing
that will come after him.

For more Word-Filled Wednesday visit here.