His Will Wednesday

I'm typing from my phone in bed with a little angel, while visiting
with my family in Texas.

I meant to post date this weeks HWW, but it didn't happen so we are
going to go with the flow and have it this way this week.

I have received everyones emails and know I have and am praying.

Below is a picture of Amanda, a little girl I was supposed to have
photographed before my camera broke. She lost her fight and earned her
wings this morning.

My heart aches for this family and I am sad that I missed the chance
to meet this little princess and photograph her.

As I lay next to my little princess, a family is deeply hurting with a
loss of their princess. Please pray for Amanda's family, she was just
a month shy of her 2nd birthday I think.

His Will Wednesday

Do you have a prayer, need, request or a thanks for an answered prayer and need a safe place to share it?  

You have come to the right place.  A christian faith blog, with a ton of prayer worriers.  If you are hurting, struggling, healing, changing, trying, worried, happy, thankful, stressed, angry, confused, scared, sick, sad, unsure and even lost. 

It doesn't matter, because HIS love is deeper than anything you are going through or experiencing. You just need to trust Him enough, believe in Him enough, and even allow Him enough to show up in your life and prayers.  

Please leave your prayer request in the comment section, and know that people are reading them and praying for you.  And I once read and LOVED this little chain idea.  If you do not read all prayer request, while you post your own request, will you please take the time to say a prayer for the person right above your comment?  

I personally will read each and everyone myself and pray over them.  

plastic pearls (Biblical Advice in Difficult Times)

A four year old little girl attends a class, in which she makes new friends.  All her friends have these bracelets simply made of a string and some plastic pearls.  The little girl goes home and tells her mom how she would really like a pearl bracelet.  Her mom tells her that if she saves up some money, she can purchase herself a pearl bracelet.  Finally, the little girl raised $4.00 and asked her mom if she could now purchase her very own pearl bracelet.  The mother took her to the store, she purchased her $3.99 bracelet and wore it the next day to show to her friends.  She was so excited about that bracelet that she wore it every day, in her sleep and never took it off.   

Her dad came into her room one night to tuck her in, and he asked her, "do you trust daddy?".  "Yes daddy, I trust you" she replied.  "Can if have your pearls" he asked? "No, daddy, not my pearls" she replied.  He smiled, kissed her head and turned out the light. 

The next night her daddy comes in, sits down next to her on her bed and again asks "do you trust daddy?" "Yes daddy, I trust you", as she reaches and covers up her pearl bracelet.  "Can I have your pearls" he asked.  "No daddy, not my pearls, no" she replied.  He leaned in gave her a kiss good night and left the room.

The third night her daddy walks in and looks at her, and before he says anything the little girl is already placing her hand over her pearls to protect them, for she already knew what he is about to ask her.  He sits down and smiles at her and again asks "do you trust daddy?" Yes, daddy I trust you" while she slowly slips off her bracelet and hands them over to her daddy with a slight frown on her face.  When all of the sudden her daddy smiles, takes her plastic pearls and puts them in one pocket, reaches in his other pocket and pulls out a real pearl bracelet for her.  

Her eyes light up and a smile covers her face, as she jumps up and gives her daddy a big hug.  

This is how God, our heavenly father wants us to trust him.  Trust him in every way, including the finances if your life.  God can teach and show all of us how to plan ahead and prepare and live a recession proof life, while also growing and building an empire for us.  

The bible doesn't speak only about tithing ten percent of all your earnings.  Unfortunately, it is about all you hear in the church and from pastors when they do speak on money.  Well, not at our church, and many other modern and fast growing churches out there today.  They are changing that bad reputation.

Money is such a sensitive subject for EVERYONE rich or not.  A lot of churches have gotten to where they are so careful about how they speak about money and how often, because of the history and bad reputations on churches in the past hounding people for their money, that they avoid this topic more than they should.  

Although these hip and fast growing churches have tip toed around this topic, they have finally realized that by not talking to their people and sharing biblical truth about how God tells us many times all throughout the bible how to manage and be responsible with our finances. They in return are not telling the whole truth of what God has to say and that is sin itself. 

Our church www.cbglades.com just did an amazing series called "Recession Proof Life." Each week they gave out boxes and thousands of dollars worth of food to hungry hurting families, struggling to stay above water in this economy.  So many of our church family members have lost homes, jobs, marriages and they have no where to run or turn to except the church family for hope, faith and help.  

At the end of "The Recession Proof Life" they offered a financial seminar to anyone interested for a really low cost, to listen to Dave Ramsey speak on Life.Money.Hope, Biblical Advice in Difficult Times.  He is a familiar face on FOX news.  

Mark and I attended this seminar, and I am so glad we did.  You see, Mark and I would like to think that we are ahead of the game because we do not have debt.  We are not in financial debt.  Most people coming to these things are in serious financial debt.  We wanted to attend as a married couple to hear more on the biblical side of things and how God intended for us to handle our finances for our family and our future.  We don't save.  We aren't putting anything back and we aren't building our empire for our children and our children's children.  We are basically living month to month and running out of what we bring in.  Not good, and not biblical.  It's poor management of what isn't even ours to begin with. 

I felt we learned a lot at this seminar, and I know that not everyone has the chance or the opportunity to attend one of their own.  I thought I would share some important biblical things that was spoken by Dave Ramsey at the seminar we attended here in my blog, so that maybe it will get you motivated to start getting a hold of your own financial struggles, mishaps, debt and stress in your home, your marriage and your life.  I want to share the help that we have received, and are putting to use in our own home and marriage. If we can do it, so can you, even if you do have a ton of debt to start with.  

I do suggest though that should you have the opportunity to attend a financial seminar, especially if Dave Ramsey can be heard, to attend on a video or in person, to do so.  Not only was he entertaining, but he put a fun spin on things, while giving you the GOD truth about your finances. While also sharing his own personal experiences from having nothing, to having millions, to having nothing again, to having multi millions now. 

Although, I can share with you some important steps to begin with here in this post today, or you can attend financial seminars all you want.  Unless you take GOD, your finances, your family and your marriage serious enough, none of it will matter and you will keep struggling, stay in debt, and it will be no ones fault but your own.  It won't be your spouses fault, your kids fault, your jobs fault, your bosses fault, your college debts fault or the presidents fault.  By listening and following God's basic biblical financial advice, you can out smart and out finance anyone.  

You ready? 

Session One:

1.  Get out of DEBT (first things first)... DEBT = RISK. 

"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender." Proverbs 22:7 (NRSV)

By borrowing and having debt, you allow the lender to be master of you. God says you are to only have one master, and that is HIM.  You can't focus on the ONE master, if you are being pulled and slaved by another (i.e. "master"cards!! lol) When you are in debt you have a ball and chain on your feet and your life isn't going to go very far at all.  In fact, it will eventually get so heaving to carry that burden "ball and chain" you will eventually give up and be swallowed up by your debt.  

GET OUT OF DEBT.

Find away.

Get rid of things, cut down on expenses and live BELOW your means for a little while (or long while) in life.  You may think its too hard to start, and it will be.  Just as you start, the devil is going to jump in and try to make things harder and mess things up even more so. Just when you start to clear your debt and live a biblical financial life, something is going to go wrong.  The car is going to break down,  a kid may get sick or an unexpected bill will arrive.  Be ready for it, but don't fear it.  TRUST in GOD, and know you will get through it.  

Sell things.  Maybe rethink about the cost of your car(s) you are driving.  Budget.  And start knocking out that debt one small step at a time.  

In order to feel victory, in what normally can feel like an endless scam or trap, start small.  Pay off and get rid of your debt starting at the bottom.  If you have multiple credit cards, pay the smallest balances off first and quick as possible.  Give yourself a WIN.  Before you know it, that WIN, starts a snowball effect, and with having that small balance paid off, you suddenly realize you have a little extra to pay the next balance above that.  Pay a little more than the minimum and do that as often as you can until you can pay it off in full.   Just by getting that first and second debt paid off will feel amazingly great. Its a very powerful and freeing feeling, and with that comes motivation.  

2.  Act your WAYS.  

"A foolish man devours all he has." Proverbs 21:20 (NIV)

Don't act what you are not.  Don't act rich, when you are not.  Don't try to impress people with things, that you can't afford, when in truth you don't even really like those that you are trying to impress.  

Dave Ramsey made a joke about those sitting in a fancy car at the red light, all leaned back in their seat, feeling "cool" about the ride they are driving.  They look over at the car next to them, give a head nod and drive off.  He said "see you felt good for that second, thinking that you impressed the person next to you, a person that you will most likely never meet.  So I hope you like that car, because that "cool feeling" in that fancy ride, just cost you a $1000 dollars, just to impress that person, that probably doesn't even care what you drive, that you will never meet and that you probably wouldn't even like even if you were to meet."  So stop trying to keep up with the false ideal image of what the world says or tries to make us feel and think we should be living.  Live within your means.  Humble yourself.  

None of this is YOUR stuff to begin with.  Its ALL God's and he has loaned it to you to manage.  You are a manager of God's things, so be responsible with it.  

Ask yourself this. 

"If YOU were God, and you were looking to promote someone to manage more of your money and things, would you hire yourself?" What does your spending habits, or your check book, or your credit cards say about you?  

This is how you should look at the the things you have.  How do you manage things now?  Are you responsible?  Are you someone that God can trust and rely on to manage his money and build an empire with? Or are you one of his silly kids?  As a parent of many you may realize that there is almost always a slacker in the bunch.  A silly kid? A irresponsible child? You still love that child no matter what, but you just may not entrust that child with much of the family assets because you know they will not handle it maturely.   God looks at us in the same fashion.  If we act our ways, and we show God that we can be responsible with managing the little things in life he has placed in our care, then eventually he will trust us with bigger things and he will bless our financial growth.  

So act your ways, you are not the big boss, you are simply a manager. Act responsible and earn your promotion in Gods financial empire he wants to build for your family, and for generations and generations after you.  You can leave behind an amazing Godly financial legacy to your children and grandchildren, starting today.  Think of the BIG picture, not just about today or tomorrow.  THINK BIG by starting small. 

3.  Get on a BUDGET.  

"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it?" Luke 14:20 (NKJV)

This means budge EVERYTHING.  

One of the things that I came up with that we are going to make use in our home is this.  One of the things that Dave Ramsey said to do when budgeting is to first cut up and get rid of every credit card.  You don't need them.  He has met many very wealthy people along his journey up to the top and down to rock bottom and back to the top again.  Not a one of them that he spoke with ever said "I am a millionaire because I had credit cards and I now live life on "award points"."  Instead, get in a place where you don't need to get in debt, to feel that you need to rely on those "award points" ...but be better and bigger than that.  Get in a place where you can simply smile and pay for anything those points may you think they are paying for, and pay for it in cash yourself. Because in the long run, you are not really getting 'free points." that is just the bait that keeps you coming back to borrow more from them, keeping you as a slave to them (the lender) and remaining in debt, because its your money that is paying for someone else "reward points" and the same with the points that you think you've 'earned' or getting something free with.  So cut up the cards!! If you must have one, then only have ONE card. Have one card for the entire house hold and pay off the balance at the end of the month.  Always! 

However, the best way to budget is to figure up your spending, (bills, groceries, gas, misc. etc). Pay your bills you are going to pay online, by check book etc.  whatever.  Then give yourself a budget of what you can afford to pay for the rest of things, (food, gas, dinners out, entertainment for the month etc.)  Take that amount and put it in an envelope and pay it with cash.  People often find it much easier to spend when they don't physically see the money coming out of their hand.  A wipe of the debt/credit card here and there, and before you know it you have gone over your budge.  If you have cash, you see it, and you become more aware of it going out, and when it does run out, you have no choice but to stop spending.  You can't just keep swiping the card, so you can't go over your budget, you just have to make ends meet without.  

However, I don't like carrying cash around.  When you carry cash around you have some control, but I also like to know where the money is being spent.  You need to keep tabs.  What I came up with in our home is this.  Mark gave me for Mother's Day, a gift card VISA.  Basically, its a money card from Wal-Mart, similar to a prepaid credit card.  It acts as a VISA/DEBT card, but you don't get the credit card history on your credit report. 

I activated my gift VISA card, in which I then paid $3.00 to get a second card in Mark's name. My VISA card was a gift to me to go shopping, but I then turned into something that will in the long run help our family finances. 

They sent to me in the mail a card that looks and acts just like any real VISA or DEBIT card would.  Then we place on that card "prepay" our spending amount for the month.  You have an online view of each transaction, you don't have to carry around cash in your wallet or purse and your spending is accountable for.  Wait that isn't it, it also sends you a text message with a current balance as soon as you make a purchase.  You have 2 cards, one for your spouse and one for you, with access to the same account and funds.  So if your spouse just spend $120 on groceries, the main card holder will get a text message giving the remaining balance on that card.  This way you both keep up with what is coming out and what is left come towards the end of that month.  

4.  SAVE and invest.  {emergency funds, college, health, death etc.} 

"In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil." Proverbs 21:20 (NIV)

Find things you can cut out of your every day.  

-Minutes on cell usage.  

- Cable vs Direct TV (or both all together)

- Home, phone, fax 

-Gym memberships if you have a free community gym.

-Cars (humble yourself and your fancy ride)

5. GIVE.

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in MY house." Malachi 3:10 (NKJV)

PERIOD!

God demands that we tithe 10%  of all given to our storehouse.  He is the MASTER, the mega-lender.  HE is lending everything to us, so cheerfully and trusting bring and give back the first 10% to the MASTER (the church).  

And if you want to really be wise.  Give the first 10% of all you earn to God, the family church, and then put the next 10% of your earnings in savings.  Budget, act your ways and live on 80% of your income (or less).  Most people today, especially and sadly Americans, we live so out of our means, that we spend 120% of our income.  That is a NEGATIVE balance every single month, friends.  Its not healthy, its not biblical and its time that YOU step up and get things on a better and more biblical financial track for your home, family, and future generations.  

Final thought:  Pray for your specific financial needs and commit to specific goals that you would like to accomplish in a specific time frame.  Ask God for wisdom in understanding His plan for your finances.  

That doesn't mean ask God for more money, it means to ask HIM, HIS plan in your financial life and give you the wisdom to manage what HE has put in your trust to manage.  

Only have ONE MASTER.

Our God is a jealous God, he wants to prosper you, but you first have to trust him in all areas of your life.  You can't say to Him "yes daddy, I trust you, but no daddy, not my pearls not my finances, I want control over that all myself." 

Don't settle for the little plastic pearls in life.  Let God reward you with the REAL and bigger pearls He is holding in that other pocket, that you just can't see yet, but have to have trust and faith in.  

Lord, I want to take this time to pray for my family, friends and readers, Lord.  I want to personally ask that those reading this post, Lord, that they get fired up and motivated.  Motivated to live a recession proof kind of life.  A life free of ball and chains.  I life free of financial strain, stress, and hardship.  Lord, we all have made mistakes in dealing with our finances, Lord and they are no different than the rest of our sins.  There are no perfect people.  No one has their finances perfectly in sync.  Lord, that is why we rely on You and ask for Your wisdom and guidance.  Only You can free us from all this debt and build an empire for us to manage and grow in our own homes, but in Your name.  

Lord, You are the one and only master.  I will not settle for the plastic pearls, and I will not force my own children and their children to live with the plastic pearls in life either.  I want to earn and wear the real pearls you have planned for me in my life.  I want to pass on my beautiful pearls to my children and watch them grow and trust You in the same way, Lord.

That motivates me, enough.  

Thank you for the blessings you have already placed in my life, and I know that I often can mismanage Lord, but today I ask for your wisdom on how to manage the things in my life, so to please You.  I want that promotion.  Although, it may not be the promotion I envision..... 'being rich', although it very well could be just that also.  I know that my needs will always be met and that I am already abundantly blessed and spiritually rich.  I have a MANSION made for me in heaven. I am rich! I will never go with out food or clothes, Lord, and so with that, that is all I need to know.  I want to lead by example to my friends, my children, and I am not here to impress anyone I know or don't know, but YOU.  I pray for the same kind of heart and courage to my friends, family and readers to this blog.  Lord, let us rely on YOU to protect us and teach us how to live a happy recession proof life.  Amen.  

My dadda! = my dada!

Is the best my dadda in the world.  

Mommy, is putting first things first these day's which is spending all her waking hours with me.  Which lately is A LOT of waking hours, giving her little no time to blog.  Sorry world, I want her all to myself.

My bubba was supposed to be home tonight. I miss him so much.  Too bad his flight was delayed in Boston today and now I won't get to see him until he gets home from his camp tomorrow afternoon.  I helped mommy get his room all nice and clean for him.  We even washed his sheets on his bed, so he can get that really nice clean smell to snuggle into.  We love that smell.  

Today was a great My Dadda Day.  I only woke up once during the night and I put myself back to sleep, allowing my dadda to get lots of extra sleep.  I gave my dadda his gift before going to bed last night, because I was just so exited and couldn't wait any longer.  My dadda is a pretty simple guy.  He doesn't want or ask for much of anything.  So what made this fun for me and mommy is that we knew no matter what we did for my dadda it would make him feel proud and smile.  

I colored my first card for my dadda.  I did it all by myself and mommy took pictures to prove it.  We framed a picture of me and my dadda for his desk at work.  Just a picture of me and my dadda all by ourselves doing one of our favorite things, swimming and smooching.  I love to kiss my dadda.  Although, his whiskers sometimes leave red marks all over my face and I often get upset about it. In truth if it didn't hurt so much, I'd actually like it.  I just have sensitive skin and my dadda knows and understands that about me.  That's one of the reasons he is so amazing.

My dadda has never once lost his calm or been inpatient with me.  He always takes things lightly and even with little sleep, he still tells me how much he loves me and then shows it with his tender touch and kisses.  

I love laying on my dadda's chest.  The smell of my dadda is such a calming scent.  Feeling so protected and cozy in his big arms and hands.  When my dadda holds me, I feel like I am on top of the world, literately.  

I love watching my dadda read his bible and devotional. We often read books together, its one of our own little favorite things to do.  I sit on his lap and I help him turn the pages.  Its one of those things that I hope to never forget as I grow up.  I love watching my dadda kiss on my mommy.  He is teaching me how a man is to love a girl and how I one day should be loved and treated also.  I love it when my mommy is holding me, and then my dadda comes and chases us around the house.  I laugh so hard my cheeks and tummy start to hurt. 

Its the best feeling in the world when my mommy is holding me and then my dadda wraps his arms around both me and mommy, and then we all take turns giving kisses to each other.  I feel super safe and so loved in the arms of my two favorite people.  

My dadda makes me feel like the most beautiful girl ever.  He tells me how pretty I am and often I find him just smiling at me.  I know its because he just loves me that much.  I wished all the children in the world could feel as loved as I do.  Its really an amazing comfort and joy to feel so loved.  

My dadda is my hero, although he doesn't know it just yet.  I look up to him a lot and I love him a lot too.  Although, right now I am really a mommy's girl, my dadda is still my number one guy in my life, and after him comes my bubba.  I am one blessed and lucky little girl and I know it.  To have my dadda, bubba and mommy in my life.  God knitted together the perfect family for me.  

Today was my dadda's special day.   We took my dadda to the 'world biggest strip club' at 11:15 AM.  It's okay it wasn't one of those kind of strip clubs.  Our church started off a new series this weekend called "The Worlds Largest Strip Club".  Its talking about stripping your spiritual life down so that you can allow God to grow in you more.  Getting rid of baggage, sin, fear, hate, lust, addiction....basically anything in life you are struggling with.  Check out our church website for more www.cbglades.com.

After that we let my dadda do a little shopping at one of his favorite places "Marshall's". While my dadda was shopping, I helped mommy pull anything I could get my hands onto off the racks.  She didn't like it all that much.  I really was just trying to help mommy.  

I started to get fussy because I was hungry and tired, so my dadda dropped my mommy and me off at the house, while he ran to the store and got steaks and stuff to grill for dinner.  When my dadda came home, he came home to two sleeping girls.  While my dadda worked hard on the grill in 100 degree heat outside this hot Florida day, me and mommy got the royal treatment by waking up to a nice dinner sitting out on the table.  You would think it was our day and not my dadda's day. See what I mean? He is just cool like that.  My dadda is a simple man.  He doesn't ask or need much.  He loves us so much that he let us sleep while he made us dinner on his day.  My dadda, you rock! 

After dinner, I sat with my dadda for about 30 seconds and clapped for the Yankee's.  That was the only down side to our wonderful my dadda's day. Boo, Yankee's!!! To help cheer my dadda up since the Yankee's let him down (again), we left the house and went to Cold Stone's for some ice cream.  That was yummy.  

To finish up our day, we hung out in the living room.  I called and talked to my granny and papa in Texas.  I am so excited to spend next week in Texas with them.  Mommy fed me dinner, washed up the dishes and let me give my dadda kisses before putting me down for the night.  

For me it was the best dadda's day yet.  I just hope that my dadda felt as special today as he really is to me.  I love you, my dadda.  Thank you for your unconditional love, protection, hard work, devotion, guidance, grace, patients, understanding, kindness and time that you give me day in and day out, no matter how good or bad your day went, no matter how little sleep you had the night before, and no matter when I push you away and reach for mommy instead.  I still know and feel your love at all times, no matter what, my dadda.  

I love you as big as the sky, up to the moon and back.  

PS:  Hi, this is Morgan's mom, remember me? You know the host of this blog?  I wanted to add in that my honey is one amazing father.  He has been amazing and so accepting and understanding of Hunter.  Such a leader in this family.  Loyal. He makes me proud and I am so thankful that God made him just for me, just for my kids and just for this family.  Although humanly not perfect, he is indeed perfect in every way for us. 

Oh, and Morgan, really does call him "my dada", but it really sounds like "my dad-duh or dad-da" and I liked 'dadda' better written to remind us when looking back on this photo of her little voice, and how she sounded and spoke during this age in her life.  It's too sweet and special to forget the sound of her today.  

Happy Father's Day, honey! 

sour mood and a smiling dragonfly

I haven't wanted to post lately because in truth, I am just tired.  If you follow me on twitter or facebook, you know what I am referring to.  Those of you that do not, let me explain.  

My 14 month old Butterfly, is either having nightmares, growing pains or teething in her big daddy teeth.  She has been waking up many (MANY) times during the night screaming, since last Friday.  She had a little bit of a runny nose so I gave her Tylenol and that helped for a couple of nights, but that's it.  

Last night, was the hardest night yet.  I was up, and up, and up, so many times.  I just wanted to scream and cry.  I am one that doesn't do well without sleep and or with many interrupted periods in my sleep. I need my sleep. 

I was so tired last night, that after rocking and rocking and rocking Butterfly,  I fell asleep in the rocking chair with her in my arms.  She on the other hand was fighting so hard to not shut her eyes that with any little sound, move, clearing of the throat or swallow, she heard it.  She would open her eyes to let you know "don't even think about it, mommy" kind of look.  If she were in pain, you would think she would still fuss while I held her, but she doesn't. She just lays there wanting to be held.  I even broke the night feeding rule and gave her another bottle last night.  It didn't do the trick either.  

Finally around almost 4:00 AM, I get her down and I slept out on the couch.  Once I heard hubby up getting ready for work, I stumbled off to my bed to crash.  But of course, she hears anything and everything.  She is such a light sleeper.... because we have the 'white noise' machine in every room, and this girl still hears everything.  She hears daddy moving around and then I hear that awful sound, like the worst alarm clock on the planet, a screaming Butterfly on the baby monitor. I cringe, I roll over, I turn the volume down wear I can barely hear her.  Hoping and praying she would just lay back down and go to sleep.  

Not happening.  

We are up, I am exhausted and VERY irritable at this point.  This is when you do not want to ask me something or try to talk to me.  I am mean. A big cranky bear.  The demon in me comes to surface. I can't control her.  

Then to top that off, I get a call from my agent before the office even opens, that a client that I have worked with in the past, and recently ran into at a jazz lounge a few weeks ago, wants to book me for a job down in the keys tomorrow.  Not only are they going to pay a modeling fee, they offered me and my family a couple nights stay at The Cheeca Lodge & Spa. I have been there before and I love it there.  They are renovating the place, and said we could come and stay once it opened back up.  I quickly told my agent "sold" without taking a moment to think it through. Anytime we can get a free room and board like that, I am game.  

I then start calling and scrambling around to search for a young teen that was out for the summer that could travel down to the keys with me to help watch Morgan during my shoot time.  I find one.  I was told that I would have to drive up tonight for tomorrows shoot.  I of course am on it, tired and all.  Totally talking to myself, "okay so get Morgan down at this time for a nap, Ill sleep during that time also, Ill need to pack this and this and that. Try to get on the road by this hour and be down there by that hour." etc. 

As I am doing all of this, I am waiting to hear from my agent for the details.  Finally, 11:00 AM rolls around and I get the "text."  Yes, my agent and I text.  She tells me that the client didn't want short hair, and has changed her mind now and is booking another girl.  WHAT???

My hair was only maybe three (3) inches, AT MOST, longer when she ran into me a couple weeks ago. It was the first layer cut I had just gotten and posted on my blog.  If she wanted long hair to begin with, what was she thinking to want to book me in the first place?  My hair wasn't long when I saw her a few weeks ago.  Needless to say, the client thinks my hair is MUCH shorter than she "recalled" and wants someone with longer hair for the job.  

Um, yea.  I am totally ticked.  Makes me want to march out and go by those clip on extensions I recently mentioned there other day on here, so I can pop them in and say "here you go, LONG HAIR!!!"  Magic!! 

SOUR MOOD! 

A sour mood is exactly what I have been put in by the lack of sleep, a lost booking and a free stay at this beautiful place with my family.   

And didn't I mention all of this to you when I asked for your votes on the short hair?  My agent warned me.  Clients for whatever reason like Misty Rice with the longer hair.  Why? Because I am stereotyped as the "sexy blond girl".  There aren't many blonds out here, so I work well when it comes to booking the blond jobs.  But there are a couple of blonds that rock short hair and seem to work just fine.  But then again, its because that is "their" role, the short hair blond.  I am known as Misty Rice, the LONG hair blond. Sigh.

Whatever, it's part of the business, and I say their loss...but inside I am banging my head on the table saying "who am I kidding, its totally MY loss here." I lost x-amount of dollars that my family could use, and I lost a free weekend stay with my family in the Keys at a really hot location. Its my loss, all over HAIR! 

Ugh! 

Baby girl in the mix of it all is screaming and fussing the whole time, so I simply pick her up and say to her "we need a breather girl" lets go outside.  I take her out and let her crawl and walk around in the back yard. She loves being outside and loves looking at the decoy geese in the lake, while points and says "duck".  Too cute.  Oh and she is starting to say things with two syllables now, like 'mommy' and 'baby'.  I love it.   

As she is crawling around and pointing at the birds. I sit on the chase and try to feel the warmth of the weather.  When all of the sudden I see a beautiful dragonfly.  I love dragonflies.  They are such unique and beautiful insects. 

The little guy is sitting perched up on a branch and I swear (although, I shouldn't) it was looking right at me, tilting its head and appeared to be smiling.  I spoke to it for a few seconds and asked if I could grab my camera and take it's picture.  As I get up and walk slowly away to not scare it,  I go and grab my camera.  I thought for sure I would come back and it would be gone, but it was still sitting there.

I start taking its picture, but I didn't have my telephoto lens on, just my 55mm, so I really had to get up close.  I slowly get closer and closer, and I am telling you, this dragonfly was looking right at me.  It was tilting it's head and just totally content with me taking its picture, with this huge black camera right up its in face.  It was awesome.  

I suddenly found myself relaxed, smiling and over the fact that I only got 3 hours of sleep and lost a booking at the moment.  I was so intrigued by the dragonfly and excited with the pictures I got, and how cool it looked up close in my lens.  

Shortly after, I was putting baby girl down for her nap, I couldn't even think about going to sleep myself. Instead, I sat there rocking baby girl and gave thanks to God for placing a little sunshine in my rainy day, sour mood and grumpiness today.  Okay, so its not really raining here today, in my world it was raining today. I was pouting and acting as a child.  Then God sent me a simple little dragonfly, something he knew I would enjoy and that would make me smile and ease my frustrations, as HIS child. 

(I take that back, just as I thought I would get Morgan and go to the park, its starts to down pour!! So it is actually raining on my day here!) LOL!

It's the little things in life like that, that God wants us to stop and enjoy.  Seeing me smile, I know brought Him joy.  Something He created, a little smiling dragonfly, possibly just for ME, because He knew how much I would appreciate and enjoy that little dragonfly face. 

That's my daddy, my heavenly father.  He knows me best! 

And to top it off.... after rethinking things through about this loss of a booking down in the Keys.  It was indeed no ones loss.  They got their model with the "long" hair, and I get to go use my spa certificate and get an hour long Swedish massage tonight.  Whoot! Whoot! 

Now, take a look at these pictures.  They are not the same photo cropped and zoomed.  This little guy let me take several pictures of it's beautiful smiling face.  Let it bring a smile to your face also.  Enjoy.  

(Click on images to zoom in)

(Do you see it smiling at you too?)

PS:  Who knows, that dragonfly's entire purpose may have just been for me today.  Ever think about that? Maybe it wasn't, but maybe it was? Thank you little dragonfly for bringing a joy and a smile to my face today.  

His Will Wednesday

Do you have a prayer, need, request or a thanks for an answered prayer and need a safe place to share it?  

You have come to the right place.  A christian faith blog, with a ton of prayer worriers.  If you are hurting, struggling, healing, changing, trying, worried, happy, thankful, stressed, angry, confused, scared, sick, sad, unsure and even lost. 

It doesn't matter, because HIS love is deeper than anything you are going through or experiencing. You just need to trust Him enough, believe in Him enough, and even allow Him enough to show up in your life and prayers.  

Please leave your prayer request in the comment section, and know that people are reading them and praying for you.  And I once read and LOVED this little chain idea.  If you do not read all prayer request, while you post your own request, will you please take the time to say a prayer for the person right above your comment?  

I personally will read each and everyone myself and pray over them.  

I also would like to post a couple of my own personal prayer request here.

1.  Please pray for a friend of mine.  She lost her father this past fall, and now her sister has stomach cancer, and just had half of her stomach and intestines removed.  My friend is a busy mom of three little kids, a wife to a pro-coach whom is always on the road traveling, and she is trying to find that balance for her immediate family and her own family.  

2. Also, my other friend Susan, is still dealing with the hurt and sadness of losing her mom to cancer last month.  She is here in Florida alone with no family for support.  Please pray for her to have some peace and comfort during this difficult time.

3.  Also, I had a prayer request sent to me a few days ago from a lady that was scheduled to have a c-section TODAY.  At this time I can't find her information, or I would direct you to her blog.  Hopefully in a few days she will be able to give us all an update.  Please pray that all went smoothly and that baby and mom are healthy.  I'll check to see if her request was left on last Wednesday's comments.

I found her, go see her answered prayer here!! He is BIG and beautiful.

4. My buddy Tim, over at Fort Thompson is having surgery on Thursday. Please read here for more.

5. Please pray for Baby Lindsay.

6. Please pray for Baby Ryan.

7. Please pray for Baby Avery.

8. Please pray for Maggie.

9. Please pray for Camryn.

10. Please pray for Baby Jonah.

Oh....and look who is going to be a BIG SISTER!!! Baby Cora! The Mac's are expecting, due in January. They lost Cora at 11 months old, just four months ago. Please pray for this family's healing, and blessings.

11. Pray for Abby and Abby. Two beautiful and brave girls.

And don't forget, if you know of, or have an answered prayer.  Please feel free to share it here because we need to be reminded to give thanks, just as much if not more than we pray and seek. 

I have been thinking about this button thing, and a reader sent me this one and I like it. 

Thought I get your thoughts too. 

Do you like this for a button? 

And I can use the OLD button for the header picture for HWW post?

GOD BLESS!

Not Me, Monday! (Important Reminder!)

Okay, in effort to get more things done during my days, and make my summer days with my kids as fun as possible, and with getting in real quality time, I will be writing most of my post at nights before bed. 

I guess I really don't need to express that, because my post will still post in the AM, which doesn't change anything up for you guys.  

O'well. 

Anyways, I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  Today is Monday, duh! And I typically like to play in the blog carnival, NOT ME, MONDAY!   

It's MckMama's way of allowing all of us real mothers to let go and forget all about those things that we "normally" wouldn't do, but then do, because of lack of whatever (tiredness, exhaustion, frustration, desperation etc). 

It allows all of us to be reminded that we are NORMAL mother's and are not alone in not being perfect mothers.  

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably read about me having to take little Butterfly to the doctor last week for her ear.  She is my walking wobbling toddler now, and into EVERYTHING.  She is the cutest thing I have ever seen, besides Hunter when he was this age, walking around the house.  

She knows her way around this house and could probably walk it with her eyes closed. If there is a door open, she WILL find it.  She loves going into my room or her brothers room most.  She saw that mommy left the door opened to my room, as quickly and as fast as her little legs would let her, took off.  

I had just walked back into the kitchen, when all of the sudden I hear a bump and a scream.  I knew it before even seeing anything, that this was the real deal cry.  Not that whining cry from a little boom or bump.  As I walk in there I see blood coming from her ear.  It's not that bright in my room because the light if off and so I quickly run her into my bathroom so I can see why her ear is bleeding. 

She was walking, and I assume she went to lean in mommy's bench at the end of the bed with her left hand, and missed it. Causing her to fall, just catching the bench on her left ear, causing the earring to rip upward in her earlobe.  At first I thought the back of the earring was jammed inside her earlobe.  I remember saying quietly to myself "oh no! oh no!" But then I turned the light in the room on and saw the back to the earring on the floor. 

So I grab some antibacterial foam to clean the ear, taking the earring out.  Trying to get a better look at the ear to see how deep the cut was and if she would need glue or stitches.  However with a screaming child fighting you, its not that easy.  To be safe I loaded her up in the car and we drove down the street to her doctors office.  As the nurse is telling us that we may want to go to the ER to be safe because they do not do glue or stitches in the office.  I instead insist the doctor look at it first, because I wasn't prepared to go sit in the ER lobby for hours, pay $200 and then be told she didn't even need either glue or stitches.  

The doctor comes and and takes a look, and by that time from me cleaning her ear and pushing her cut back together before getting there.  The blood was already starting to dry up, the lines of the cut matched up and the doctor applauded me, saying I did the right thing and that it looks like it wants to heal up on it's on without any help.  She said to leave out the earring for a few days, clean it with peroxide and put  Bacitracin Ointment on it three times a day.  After a few days, to then put in an earring but one with a hook, not a back.  This way we don't mess up the ear piercing hole and the hook will keep it open, while also not touching the cut of her ear, allowing for it to continue to close up and heal.  

Sheez.... now that I cleared all that up. Let me get to the Not Me, Monday part.

Friday, I thought I would take Morgan to the mall to eat lunch at Rainforest Cafe, and stop at Clairs for some cheep little girl loop/hook earrings for her ear.  Before leaving the house that day, I didn't change Morgan's dirty diaper, and place it in a green plastic diaper trash bag, half tie and it toss it into the hallway to place in the diaper pale we keep in the laundry room.  Only to hear a few minutes later, plastic nose coming from the other side of the house, while I was in the living room, to go look and to find my 14 month old daughter had gotten the plastic bag opened, her dirty diaper out on the floor and had the dirty poopy wipes in one hand and her other hand in the dirty diaper, and just as I turned the corner, I didn't scream "NOOOOO!!!"  as I ran and grabbed that hand just a second before it made its way into her mouth.  Ugh!!! 

Saturday morning, Mark and I attended a Life.Money.Hope seminar at our church, that was hosted (via video) by Dave Ramsey.  It was great and I do plan on sharing something on my blog over the next few days that we learned and are going to put to use in our home, that I think may be of some use for some of you as well.  So look out for that.

Although, we did stay awake during the seminar, considering we were up ever couple hours the night before with Morgan.  Yea, she woke up five times Friday night, and I was up for all of them, but one.  Dave Ramsey was entertaining and had such a fun way speaking, it kept us awake, laughing and intrigued.  

However, once we got home, it was not me, daddy and butterfly that all crashed out for an afternoon nap.  

While Saturday night, I went to a friends house with baby girl and then to the beach for a couple of hours after a huge rain storm came through.  My friends daughter ended up coming over for a sleepover with us.  I put Morgan down, and not even an hour had gone by.  I quickly saw Friday night, happening all over again Saturday night.  In attempt to try and get more sleep and allow everyone in the house to get more sleep that we did Friday night, I certainly did not climb into Morgan's crib and lay with her.  Letting her sleep on my chest, while drooling down my shoulder.  While that only lasted about 30 minutes before she was up screaming again.  I didn't break down and run to the kitchen get her some Tylenol to give her.  

*In which she slept the entire night afterwards. 

Sunday, it turned out to be such a beautiful day.  We hung out in the house most of the day in our pj's.  Nice! Then later that day we went to the pool for about an hour, in which I took many pictures of my beautiful girl in her ...... well you will just have to wait and see when I post her pictures.  After the pool we attended the 6:00 PM service at church and then went home to grill some chicken on the grill, with black beans and bake potatoes on the side. 

It was a bit of a crazy, hectic weekend, that ended on a positive note, a sunny day and a nice warm dinner and a full nights sleep.  

Do you have anything, that you normally wouldn't want to admit to?  Well, make a Not Me, Monday post and let it all out as if it you didn't do it.  Not only is it fun, but it is therapeutic. Then laugh at yourself and the situation as you read back over it.  

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and a blessed Monday to start off your week ahead.  

God Bless.

PS:  Ladies this is your reminder, Father's Day is next weekend. You can thank me later for that reminder.  LOL! 

I am struggling this year with ideas, and I am pretty creative normally when it comes to this stuff. However, if you are like us and the rest of the world right now, money is tight.  Do any of you have any of your creative juices flowing for how to give dad a great day to remember, without breaking the bank?   I have a couple of things in mind, but not sure if "that's it".  You know, its gotta hit me a feel like "that's it."  I would love to hear any ideas or suggestions you have, that maybe me and some others out here also struggling for ideas can use.

You didn't think that I would leave you a post without a picture did you?  I try to not do that at least.  

These pictures are taking with my iPhone.  At the beach I ran into some of my old beach volleyball buddies.  They gave Morgan a couple of balls to play with, you know, getting her started early, considering she may be six feet tall.  She absolutely loved the beach, the ocean water and being outside.  A girl truly after my own heart. 

**AND I RESIZED THEM WITH HTML CODING, NOT PHOTOBUCKET, YEA!!!** Although, probably not the best in quality of photos to use to resize on here, but what better time to try something new than now, right?  

That is also Aston, my friends daughter that came and spent the night with us.  She left the next day for church camp.  I want to go back to church camp, I miss those days.  

And no it's not me that now got the "itch" again to play beach volleyball, and isn't thinking of scratching that itch this week one day or two.  Hmmm..... Ill keep you posted on this itch and scratch thing.  

Oh, and I so didn't let my daughter french kiss me for about 7 straight minutes last night while trying to rock her to sleep for bed.  In which she in return didn't think it was the funniest thing ever having my tongue and hers wiggle and tickles each others.  

I know it sounds a bit gross, and trust me, it sort of is...but when its her and her slobber, and her yummy smelly breath, its never THAT gross.  Even knowing she tried to taste her own poop from that diaper the day before.  

(So sorry for the sloppy typing today, but I have a fussy girl that won't let up this morning and as I mentioned earlier, I will no longer post during the day.  I will work on them at nights when the kids are in bed.) Only 5 1/2 days left and Hunter is back home.  Whoot! Whoot! 

Which reminds me.... I didn't accomplish one single thing on my list.  LOL  O'well! 

Apology Letter from "B"...April Rose Blog

I normally don't check the blog life out much on the weekends, because I am soaking up the love and attention I get from my family being home with me.  

While I just put baby girl down for a nap, Mark is off running some errands and I need to go take a nap myself.  I thought I would glance and see if any of my friends posted.  

I see a post from the "April Rose" blog and of course my heart sort of jumped, because I was surprised.  I click on the link that popped up her letter and I read it.  

Once I was done reading it, I left her a comment and this is what it said.

********************

I forgive you. There are no perfect people anywhere on this earth. There is only one perfect person, and HE paid the price for ALL of US. I was never angry with you. Just confused. I have prayed many times for you. I will also post your letter on my blog, because I think regardless of what you have done, you have the right to be heard, your apology to be heard...and I will be the first to say that I FORGIVE YOU. God Bless you girl.... Don't give up. Get the help you need, and let GOD, make something amazingly good in your life from all this bad, negative and sad stuff. Let HIM prosper you. Only HE can fill that missing piece in your life that you thought you found through all of us on your blog. Only HIS love goes deeper for you than anything you already experienced or been through. God forgives you. God loves you.... and so do I, and I have never met you. Take care.

********************

Now I ask that you take the time to read her letter too, and as Christians, we all forgive her.

********************

THE LETTER(click here)

*She did have comment section open, but now she doesn't. Just pray for her instead.

Enough

-Author (I do not know), but I felt this on my heart today for many of us today. 

Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged, and the mother said, 'I love you, and I pray you enough.'
 
The daughter replied, 'Mom, our life together has been more than enough.  Your love is all I ever needed. I pray you enough, too, Mom.' 
 
They kissed, and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy, but she welcomed me in by asking, 'Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?' 

Yes, I have,' I replied. 'Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?' 
 
'Well...I'm not as young as I once was, she lives so far away & has her own busy life. I have some challenges ahead, and the reality is - her next trip back will be for my funeral,' she said. 
 
'When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I pray you enough.' May I ask what that means?' 
 
She began to smile. 'That's a prayer that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.' She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and she smiled even more. 'When we said, 'I pray you enough,' we wanted the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.' 

Then, turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory. 

I pray you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear. 
 
I pray you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more. 
 
I pray you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting. 

I pray you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger. 
 
I pray you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. 
 
I pray you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. 
 
I pray you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye. 
 
Then, she began to cry, and walked away. 
 
They say, it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but an entire life to forget them. 
 
  
TAKE TIME TO LIVE.....  
To all my friends and loved ones,
I PRAY YOU ENOUGH.......

cleaning before the cleaning lady arrives....

Good Morning.

So I have a couple of things to chat about here today, and a question for some of you.  

Update:  It seems that there is a 100% agreement that HWW should carry on.  I enjoyed hosting it here on my blog and I think leaving the prayer request in the comment box worked out great. It gave everyone the opportunity to put the prayer needs in their own words.  I want everyone to know that I read each and every one of them, and personally prayed for each and everyone. 

Additionally, I received several emails (you guys are good with the emails, wow!).  I read all the prayer request in the emails as well, and wanted to let you know that several sent emails thanking me for keeping HWW open and said they were willing to help, as well read over and pray for everyone with me.  You guys rock!

Isn't that a comforting feeling, knowing that so many are praying for YOU?  For the first day I thought it had a great turn out, and feel 100% assured that this will grow and will become a safe place for people to post their needs in prayer, as well, allow others to pray for you.

HOWEVER.....

Another blogger decided to do the same thing, but instead of hosting it on her blog, decided to make a His Will Wednesday BLOG.  Using the old HWW button and everything.  You can click here if you are interested in checking it out.  Basically, in my opinion either place is a good place to post your prayer, because as long as people are praying, that is all that matters.

I can't garantee that I will check there every Wednesday for prayers, but I can promise you that any prayers left here, will not go with out prayer before I am off to bed. Sometimes its eases people to know who they are leaving their prayer request to.  Here you know its me, my friends, my family and my followers....and we are a power house of prayer worriers.  

I only say that because I am not in competition with the other blog host for HWW.  I say that because, although I am providing her and that blog info here in this post.  I want to make it clear that I don't know her, but I may get to know her. Ill for sure check her out.  At this time, I don't, and with all this April Rose stuff, people are walking on edge right now.  Instead of tossing you off to anther blog that I don't even know, because I didn't want to host HWW each week here or something. I decided it had a pretty good turn out and that its worth keeping it here each week.  Because my blog has been around for awhile. It does have a long reputation and one that can be trusted.  I don't take peoples lives, hardships and struggles or PRAYER request lightly.  My heart bleeds for hurting people.  

With that being said, the other HWW Blog is also using the old button. I think maybe it would be best to create my own unique HWW button for this blog, just to keep the two unrelated at this time.  I had a couple of buttons emailed to me as suggestions and I have a couple of bloggy friends that are masters at these kinds of things that have also offered to help with the buttons.  I will take a look and see what button I think would be the new HWW button for my blog here.  Cool! 

Also, if any of you have suggestions or thoughts about how else to do HWW let me know.  I am always willing to listen.  Thanks.

Now for that QUESTION I have for you.  

Photobucket.  

As of yesterday I had to upgrade to "pro" and when they say "pro" they only mean that you now pay about $40 bucks for the year to open more space for your pictures.  And get this, when they come and give you that warning that you need to upgrade to pro, they don't mess around.  Instead, they shut down your account, in which shuts down your pictures anywhere you have them posted (i.e. BLOGS). 

In truth, I DON'T like that at all.  Is Flickr the same way? Anyone know of any other way to post larger photos to your blog post without having to use some hosting site such as Photobucket or Flickr? 

I don't like the idea of someone else having control over my pictures, and also having the power to shut them down as they did yesterday.  Can you tell I was not happy about dishing out that $40 bucks yesterday?  I almost feel as if they "hoaxed" me.  They wheel you in with all this free stuff, and then when they see you have 'enough' saved pictures, videos or whatever...they attack you for money.  Thinking, by now, you have so many photos in use, that you will give in and pay them.  In which as I did, I am sure everyone else probably does the same thing also.  That is why I am always skeptical of these little free sites anyways.  Similar situation was the Scrapblog site.  I stopped using them when they started asking for money.  Anyways, I like being able to post pictures in larger format on my blog.  Oh and another thing I don't like about using this photobucket as a host.  If I want to go in and delete a photo from my account, once that photo is removed, it removes that photo from where ever else it is sitting.  

Any other way to do this besides a hosting site?

****************

As my Pastor (also my BFF's husband) always likes to say in church.

"I can tell you need to laugh today, or you need a visual."  Do you all need a laugh and a visual today on my blog?  Tired of reading all these rambling wordful post?  

I read your minds and have granted you your wish.  How about this for a laugh? 

I have recently been reading my book "Learning Exposer" while playing with my new camera.  Oh and $300 bucks later, I get to go pick up my first baby camera today at some point.  The camera was not broken, the lens was not broken, but something holding the lens and the camera together broke inside. The front body part of my camera had to be taken apart to remove the lens, and then a new part that goes on the lens had to be order and replaced.  But at least I still have my old camera and lens now that I can use for my family use stuff and keep my new mac-daddy camera for work use. 

As I was saying, I have been reading this book and in it said "to never put your camera away, until you are done shooting completely. Because if you put your camera away you are likely to miss the best opportunities to photograph." 

In this case Tuesday, it proved to be true.  

Morgan has a toy box (a.k.a. A plastic bucket) that we place her bigger toy items and stuffed animals in, near her play area in the living room. Tuesday, Morgan was trying to reach something in her box and all of the sudden I hear moaning and fussing.  I come out to look, and sure enough I see this.

Is it bad that instead of grabbing her out and letting her know that mommy was there to rescue her, I instead ran for the camera sitting on the table and started snapping away? 

While quietly laughing, and clicking away on the camera.  I am also talking to her, so she hears my voice, telling her she is okay.  With her hearing my voice, she stops the fussing and starts to figure out how to get out of what she just got herself into. 

I was laughing so hard, I am surprised any of these pictures came out clearly focused.  Oh to be a little person again.  Gotta love kids.  They are just too delicious. 

When she popped her head up and tried to gather her composer, as if she meant to do that.  I again start cracking up because all you see is this little head pop up out of the bucket, her hair is all a mess and her bow is now turned upside down and laying on the opposite side of her head from where it started.  (I'm laughing again, now.)

Once she sees me taking her picture, you can tell she is trying to play it cool and give me a "its all good" smile.  

In this last picture, can you kind of see that she has that half smile, with a slight chuckle, as to say "okay, I'm not hurt, I'm good....and I think that was kind of fun", kind of smile?  

Hope you enjoyed that little fun today, and we were able to put a smile on your face this beautiful SUNNY (no rain YET) morning.  At lest here in this part of Florida anyways. 

Awe.... and while I was making this post I received an email from Hunter.   I miss you too buddy, and so does 3 of the 4 cats, one sister and one dots and blanky.  Hurry up and come back home already.

By the way, man seriously shut me up this morning.  

I have to tell you this story, also.  

Last night Mark and I watched "Faith Like Potatoes". I hadn't heard of it and he just thought the previews looked good.  As it turns out, I believe it was directed by the same company as "Fireproof". It was a pretty good movie, and it was about believing in God and having faith, thus the name of "Faith like Potatoes".  It was based on a true story and at the end they showed the real family behind the story. I love true stories like that.  Without giving too much away, I suggest that you rent it. If you liked "Fireproof" then you will like this one.

After the movie was over, it was time to get Morgan in the bath before going to bed.  I stripped her down of her already soggy diaper, in the living room, so daddy could go give her a bath.  As he is checking the Yankees vs Red Sox game, Morgan stands in the middle of the floor and begins to pee.  I am in shock, not because she is peeing, but because she is peeing and its coming out like a rainbow like boys do.  LOL.  I have never seen this before.  I know she will be embarrassed to read this later one day, but that's okay baby girl. You are just a baby, you have no idea what you are doing and it gave daddy and mommy a great laugh.  As the saying goes "anything boys can do, girls can do better." LOL Okay, not entirely and surely not when it comes to peeing standing up, but baby girl sure would have been an impressive challenge. 

Okay, seriously I must get off this thing this morning and get started with my busy day.  You know, like cleaning my house BEFORE the cleaner arrives.  Yea, I am so one of those.  

ARE YOU?  

Do you clean the house before the cleaner arrives in the same day? 

Here is a stack of my husbands books.  Can you tell what his obsession is, ahem, besides books on trading and the Yankees ME? 

If you look at the 3rd book down from the top of the stack, you will see "The New Psycho-Cybernetics".  We love this stuff.  Mark also listens to the CD's of this book in his car ride to and from work. I of course get to hear them on the weekends when we are out and about.  This stuff is great. I highly recommend you either reading the book and or listening to the CD's. 

Anyways, a couple of days ago, Mark is sitting on the couch reading and he starts laughing.  I ask him what was so funny, and his response was to read me a part of the chapter he was reading in which the guy telling the story in the books says "I never understood why my wife on the day the cleaners would be coming, she would stress herself out and clean the house up herself." I can't recall all or exactly what he shared, and I can't seem to find it in the book as I glance through it.  

But just as Mark read that line, I then started laughing.  I said "um, honey, I am one of those girls." He again starts laughing and asks "why?".  

He said "is it because you don't want the cleaner to think we are as much of slobs as we really are?"  LOL

Me:  "No, well, maybe.  I mean, NO! We are not slobs, honey.  It's more like the feeling of just having my house organized the way I like it, so all the cleaner then has to do is come in and clean. If she has to clean and put things away, you know 'organize'; I not only spend weeks trying to find something she put away, I feel that it takes away from the time of cleaning when she is here." 

Mark: "If it where me, man I would have fun and let loose, like I just had a party or something. Who cares, there is no way I would clean before the cleaners arrived." 

Me: "That's the difference in men and women honey.  Almost, all my friends do the same thing and to be honest, its almost as if the house gets a double dose of cleaning in one day and that just makes me feel really good." 

Okay, Mark just texted me and its page 116 in the book.   It says...

"My wife Anne had the, to me, odd habit of cleaning the house before the cleaning-person arrived on Wednesdays.  I'm told Anne shares this habit with a great many women.  The reason I say it is odd is that we have two people doing the same work.  I wouldn't hire a driver to chauffeur me through the congested streets of Manhattan, then have him sit in the passenger seat while I drive myself.  Why would you clean your house, then hire a cleaning person to clean what you've just cleaned? I urge you, don't "hire" your servo-mechanism to act on an imperative, then run around getting it it's way trying to do its work before, during and after it does."

I'll try to work on that 'servo-mechanism', but try to get in my way of cleaning before the cleaning person arrives, it may cause a war that you wont want to battle with.  Right ladies?  LOL

Have a great day! 

PS:  I have a hand-me-down giveaway coming up. Sorry, its only for little girls under 12 months this time. So if that is for you, be sure to keep an eye out for that post.

His Will Wednesday Continued: (Making Light of the Dark)

Good Morning world.

In effort to bring light out of all the madness we all have experienced via Internet/blog life over the last few days.  I thought I would bring some light from all this dark.  

I don't have much time to write, for I need to be on my way to the hospital this morning. I have an handsome young one-year-old waiting for his picture to be taken as he has his Christening today. 

I do want to give a big THANK YOU for all of your very, very, very kind words of support to my post yesterday.  I am thankful that everyone agreed to take the highroad and continue to pray for these people NO MATTER WHAT.

As I was sitting in the dark rocking my beautiful daughter last night for bedtime.  I was giving thanks and prayer, because GOD gave me the words to my post yesterday, they didn't come from me.  Although, it can be easy to feel good about yourself and take credit, I am giving credit where the credit is due.  

As I was praying, God I believe gave in insight on something that I feel He would like us to continue; His Will Wednesday.  I am not committing to this weekly, I'd like to, and I still may.  I just wanted to do it first today and see how it goes.  

Out of all the drama and craziness of this April Rose, I do believe that God is NOT ABOVE using negative things or situations for HIS good.  I believe that 100%.  

Over reading many posts, comments and emails, one of the most positive things that I saw being repeated was "HIS WILL WEDNESDAYS" and how people appreciated having HWW in order to post their own prayers and or pray over others.  Many feel blessed out of such a horrible thing as hoaxing April Rose, because they were ones being prayed over by hundreds of others from that blog.  

I think today would be a great place to start with keeping His Will Wednesday going, in effort to bring light from dark, giving everyone continued hope and positive support through their trying times in life.  

Although, I do not have the time like "B" did each week, writing a detailed post of prayer request, for she did do an amazing job with HWW, for that I give her praise.  

And although, I do not have hundreds of followers to my blog.  That doesn't matter to God.  There is a particular story in the bible of a man that was heading into battle (sorry, I am in a hurry and I am drawing a blank).  He was going into battle with thousands of soldiers, maybe 3000.  God told him "that was too many, and to get rid of all these soldiers only keeping 300." Going into a battle now with less men, it would almost seem impossible to win that battle, but then God smiled and said "I AM THE VICTORY and to trust me."  So with this battle of April Rose, lets let GOD continue to be the VICTORY, and continue HIS WILL WEDNESDAY.  

This way EVERYONE WINS and we can focus on the good that the April Rose hoax brought to us. 

With that being said, it doesn't matter if I have 1 follower, hundreds of followers or thousands.  When GOD is involved, as long as two or three come together in His name, HE is also present.  Amen. 

I will ask around and see if someone can make up a new His Will Wednesday button, to replace the old one. Or, if someone has the old and wants to share it with me, please feel free to email me the code.  I don't mind using the old button at all for now.

In closing, if you have a prayer request please leave it in the comment box.  Its still an early part of the day.  That gives everyone ALL DAY and ALL EVENING to read your prayer request and have people join in with you in prayer. Only good can come from this. 

Off to the hospital now.

God Bless.

PS:  Today the comment moderation is turned off, so your prayer will be posted right away.