And We're Back!

So after a couple of weeks without power (no cable, no Internet... no distractions) we're back! Everything starts fresh today. We had the cable guy come out and fix everything that was awesomely messed up with our lines and now we have full Internet again so I can post away. In the mean time- while we did not have power, some very interesting and awesome things took place that I'd like to share here... and then I seriously need to get back to housework while I have no children. Yes, it's true- that disease is back- the one where I have free time and all I want to do is clean. Where did that come from???? I could so be reading or napping right now. Oh well. :) I love a clean house so this time will just be very fulfilling for me.

Anywho... while we were without power, we prayed, and we prayed and we prayed some more. We prayed for all sorts of things, but one big one for me, was that I would find a part time job. I REALLY wanted to be at the church and even if it was just for ten hours a week, I really felt like I would enjoy working there. So I started praying and an opportunity to help a friend who works there came up, but it wasn't paid. It was just a way that I would be able to bless her and take some of the stress off of her shoulders. So I jumped on it. This woman is precious and just works herself in to the ground sometimes. She is very committed to her job and very good at it. The downside is that she works all of the time and really didn't have any help. So it blessed my soul to be able to help her out- to make her smile.

I was just doing my thing, rolling along, and she asked if I would be interested in helping out for a little extra money. My heart skipped a beat and I told her I surely would. I knew it wouldn't be a ton, but at this point in our family, anything helps! So she said she would begin to search and see if she could find any place in their budget to hire me very very part time. It took a couple of weeks, but this past Thursday she said that she had worked out out to where I can now be a paid helper. Like I said, it's not a ton, but it's a double blessing! I get to help this woman and help my family at the same time! How exciting for me and for my Kyle. He paraded all weekend with a smile- it was a smile that reflected his pride in me and his gentle relief.

I feel like for so long we were under attack from the enemy. We almost gave in to the pressure and split a couple of times, but God used different people to encourage me, to pray with me, and to model Christ-like love and perseverance and God prevailed, chipping off bits and pieces of these walls we both had formed around our hearts and leaving us both with joy in our new found friendship with one another.

This didn't just happen because I started working a little. This happened because I chose to pray. I chose to seek God and what He gave me in return was my best friend back. I have my Kyle- the one I fell in love with. He is not perfect- nor am I, but our relationship has come through some seriously scary and doubtful times. God has begun the work of restoration on my husband's and my soul and I couldn't be more excited. So like I said, we're back- in every sense of the word. I praise God for Ike. I know there has been some major devastation but so much good has come out of this time as well. I have never spent so much time with my husband. I have never prayed so much and learned so much about the character of God. I have never had to trust Him so much and in return, I have never seen His face so much. I feel grateful- eternally grateful for having been able to go through this time with my family and friends. Ya, it was a little uncomfortable, but God has a way of moving us out of our comfort zones sometimes to see how we can best be used and without our complete lack of power, I never would have noticed certain things God did for us and certain areas He was working. So praise Him.

So glad to be back!

No School Like the Old School

I am at our church right now, on an office computer. Our home, like so many, is still without power. But I am not complaining. Seriously. Aside from smelly laundry and a clogged disposal that emits a certain unpleasant odor, the whole situation has really not been all too bad. In fact, I would even venture to say Hurricane Ike is probably one of the best things to ever happen to our family, to our community, to so many. The word community has begun to really resonate as families are forced to be away from their precious televisions and venture outside in to the unfamiliar territories that lurk within our neighborhoods. These territories are marked by unfamiliar faces living on 20 feet away. These faces belong to children my kids now call friends.

Who would have thought that only one week ago, my Trinity didn't even know how to ride a bike and now she is on her very own "big girl bike" without training wheels zooming down the street. Who would have thought my once shy daughter would ever make a friend on the street- let alone the near 20 friends that now seem to permanently occupy our driveway? I forgot what it was like to have a life outside of our home and our church. We have been so sheltered, we never even made time to realize there were precious people only feet away from us who could maybe use a little encouragement, a friendly hello, or some extra chicken that we had to grill from our now stale freezer.

I can remember "back in the day" when being outside was what we did. We didn't have the Internet and my mom didn't really allow us to watch much television. So my sister (hold your breath) actually read. She read books (you know, those things with paper and words...) And I was an outdoorsy kind of girl. I played outside until mom was screaming "time to eat!" I missed those days. I didn't even know I missed them until my kids grew in to them and now I was the mom screaming "Time to eat!" Wow. Thank goodness for no power. Thank God for Ike. In the midst of all of the destruction that surrounds us, we can see God's hand and I couldn't feel more blessed.

In the days to come I will post more of what I have been learning. It's been a very eye-opening week for me and I still have about 4 more days without power.

The Perfect Creamer

Seriously. Finally! I have found it! The perfect coffee creamer. I was a big fan of the cinnamon vanilla cream flavor but I ran out and while searching for a new flavor, I stumbled across this flavor yesterday and am now enjoying my second cup of decadence! The flavor is Vanilla Chai. It's soooooooooooooooooooo creamy and wonderful! Let's hope they don't discontinue this one with the other "experimental" flavors. :) I am off to finish my coffee and the next chapter of this amazing book I have started called Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala. Check them both out for a duet of greatness. :) Have a wonderful day!

Life-breathing people

Can I just say I love how God works? I love how He sends people in to your life to encourage you, to lift you up, to breathe life in to your world when there seems to be none. I praise God for every friend He has brought in to my life that has helped to walk us through this situation and other times in our lives. I praise Him for using those people to be His hands and feet to us. I was so downtrodden, so depressed, so hopeless and God sent one person after another to pray with/ for us, to encourage us, to make us laugh, to offer wisdom, advice, and hope. It's been a great weekend. The situtation is not over yet but praise God there is a light at the end of this tunnel. Thank you, God for my friends. :)