Where Did Your Smile Go?

Val over at Our Forever Farm encouraged me to start writing my blog again. Not for anyone else but for me. I don’t know how often I’ll be able to write and my posts may be a little morose. 

I’ll go into when I have more time but sometimes life just stinks. Sometimes you get lemons and no matter how much you try the lemonade you make is just sour. That’s where I am. I want to be happy. I want to have joy. BUT I also just want to crawl into my bed, pull the covers over my head, and pretend life is not going on without my Mother. 

I AM SAD! Someday I will have a smile again. 

All in a Day of a Housewife

Click here to check out my newest creations on my craft business blog. 

What do you do all day?  I hear this question all the time.  I can even remember asking SAHM/W this question myself when I worked full time outside of the home.  I say it that way because I still feel like I work full time but I very rarely leave my house!  I actually probably work more now.  Now that I am a housewife I kind of chuckle when I hear that question.

So what have I done today.  It's 12:30 and I've already made breakfast then cleaned up the kitchen, made homemade laundry detergent, canned homemade apple butter, scheduled an installation appointment for DH, washed 2 loads of clothes, and now I'm eating my lunch and typing up a blog post.

Woosh.... I'm tired!

Actually the rest of my day is fully scheduled too!

After I finish my sandwich I have 2 embroidery orders to fill, and then I need to get started on the many things that I have to make before the Tinsel & Treasure show.

Charlie asked me this morning if I was happy just being his housewife.  I just smiled and said I love it!  I couldn't ask for more.  He then said but we don't have as much as we had when we were both working.  I asked him if that bothered him.  He of course said NO and that he loved having me at home.  I then reminded him that things are not important to me and never have been.  As long as he is good with it then I am very happy.  I feel like the Lord has me just where he wants me to be.

We don't have the things that we used to have.  We don't eat out as often.  I haven't been to the mall in months.  You know what?  I don't care!  I love saving us money by making our laundry detergent.  I love grocery shopping knowing that the meals I make are healthy.  I love the sense of accomplishment I get by managing the office side of Charlie's business.  I schedule his appointments, create & send in the invoices, and manage all the office stuff.  I guess my 'job' with Singleton Services gives me my office fix that I need every once in a while.

I also love that I have time to create things.  I love to sew and I really like knowing that my creations are going to someone special.  I put my heart & soul into every item that I make.

My children, although in college, act like they like me being at home too.  They come home every day and sit in the kitchen just to talk to me.  I feel like I'm more involved in their lives then I've ever been.  I no longer make their decisions but I do pray with them and for them as they are making decisions that will effect the rest of their lives.  I know that they love the home cooked meals that await them.

Well, my sandwich is gone and it's time for me to get back to work.

~Good Day to you all and Many Blessings,
Krista

Hold Me While I Cry

Do you ever have one of those days where you just feel like crying?  When you know that everything is going to be okay because the Lord is with you but the problems just seem so insurmountable.  I couldn't make it through any day without the Lord.  I know he's always with me.  It's just that sometimes I wish I could crawl up in his lap, let him hold me, and feel his arms around me.  I just want to cry out all my problems and let him tell me that everything is going to be okay.  I'm sure he'd say "Fret Not, Krista!"  or may be he'd say "I've got this!  Why are you worried?"

It's just one of those days when I see all the bills in front of me and the lack of income or I should say a minimal income makes me worry how we are going to make it.  I know God has brought us this far so why would I think he wouldn't take us the rest of the way.  I hate to even complain because I know that some people have it so much worse.  Then I remember my Mother saying "You've got to be tough" and "Everything is going to be alright".  I really don't complain much and it condemns me to say anything at all because I've been blessed so much but I know that God is our Father.  Just like a Father, he wants us to tell him our concerns, our trials, and our weaknesses but he also wants us to know that he is there with us.  He will never leave us.

This song says 'tomorrow I'll be okay', and I know that is so true.

~Blessings
Krista

Get back in the swing

of things.

I've recently been laid off from work so I am now officially a stay at home wife/mom. Not sure I can claim 'recently' since it happened November 30th. December was easy because we were so busy with the holidays. Both church & personal events kept me super busy, but then January arrived. Everything I wanted to do overwhelmed me. I had put off so many things until January that I just don't know where to begin. Today it is January 19th and I don't know what I've accomplished. Oh, my house is clean and my laundry is done. Dinner is made every night. I wake up every morning with my hubby to make his breakfast & lunch. However I just can't get into the swing of this. I look at the mountains of things I want to accomplish and I feel like I can't climb over them.

I do better with a plan so I started planning my days with my Franklin Covey and that seemed to help but not for long. Then I remembered Fly Lady from when I wasn't working before and tried to do follow the plan. Cleaning just isn't my problem, and yes, I have plenty to do. My children are self-sufficient, as they should be since they are both in college. From time to time they'll ask me to help them with something but usually I very rarely even see them. They are extremely busy with work & school. Charlie is happy as long as he has breakfast, lunch & dinner, all his clothes are in the closet where he can find them easily and the house is clean. Well, all those things are done and still I feel like I am stumbling along.

This afternoon I found a wonderful post from Abby over at a Feathered Nest. (For some reason blogger won't let me link to her blog) but in this post she talked about getting her groove on. She created and shared a printable for a to-do list and on the top was Prayer. Can you believe I have been leaving this off my to-do list? I talk to the Lord throughout the day, read devotionals, and spend a lot of time meditating on His Word. However, I think I need to go back to the basics and start my day on my knees.

Pray for me that I'll get back into the swing of things.

Catching Up

I can't believe it has been since April that I've blogged. I've had lots of things to happen that I could have blogged about however unfortunately I just haven't had the time. I should probably say I haven't made the time.

The last couple of years has been a sea of change for my family. Trevlyn is now 18, almost 19, and started college this fall at a local community college. Yes, he still lives at home! I wouldn't have it any other way. Elizabeth is a senior in high school, and planning her college future. She doesn't want to live at home once in college. She wants to live on campus of any college that will take her! I wish she'd stay at home too, but I'm trying not to hold her back. Once I had a lady tell me that if your children couldn't make it own their own once they were raised then you didn't do what you were supposed to do as a Mom. That is what we raise them to do, right? Be successful adults! I just wish I could wind the clock back a few years. I miss them being little. I miss the basketball games, t-ball games, and football games that we watched. I miss helping them with their homework. There is no way I can help them now! Trig, what's that? I just nod and smile when they start telling me about their homework. They are learning so much more than I did 20 years ago in high school.

I decided to post today because I wanted to record what is going on in my life right now. I am on a new journey. I have had many health problems over the last 2 years. Some of them I recorded here earlier. I've finally decided that the medical doctors weren't going to do anything for me other than make me addicted to medicine. I started going to a chiropractor in July of 2009 for the migraines I was having daily. The doctors at Exodus Chiropractic are absolutely fabulous. It is a christian atmosphere, and the doctors believe that God made our body to heal itself. This is what I've always been taught so it has been very easy for me to continue going. I visit them 2-3 times a week, and I always leave feeling refreshed both in body and mind.

One of the doctors is also a nutritionist. Back in April, he had a meeting about healthy eating. I went to the meeting and I really liked the plan but at that time I just didn't have the money to do it. It involved a full diet makeover and a detox. Oh, I forgot the most important part! Since April of 2009 when Charlie's parents were killed, I have gained a massive amount of weight.

The first of August 2010 I went back in to renegotiate our yearly contract, and I was told that over the last year I had overpaid. Oddly enough it was within $40 of what it would take me to start the nutrition program. I asked if they would be willing to take the overpayment and apply it to the program then let me pay the difference. The doctors agreed to apply my overpayment however they didn't make me pay anything extra. The doctor said that he had been praying for me. He said he had watched me struggle with my weight and he had prayed that if the Lord wanted me to do the program then he would make a way. HE made a way!!

To give you an idea of what is going on. Per my medical doctor and my nutritionist, my body is in adrenal failure or adrenal insufficiency. Adrenal failure is brought on by prolonged stress. To keep it simple if your adrenal glands quit producing enough hormones then your body doesn't process food(sugar) correctly, and there are a whole host of other problems that come along with it too. The symptoms include recurrent infections, muscle weakness and back pain, problems sleeping, dizziness, inflammation, hypoglycemia, headaches, moodiness, salt craving, swelling, brown spots on skin, and even heart problems. These are all the problems I've had over the last 18 months. You should see the brown spots on my face that have appeared just this year. I look older than my Mother!

In order to do the full program I must do a full body detox, and change my diet. I have to make my body start using the food that I eat for energy rather than using the quick sugar and caffeine hits that I was using. As of August 16th I haven't had any caffeine. I was up to drinking at least a pot a day if not more. Yes, I had major withdrawals. That in itself made me very angry. How could become so addicted to something and call myself a Christian? I'll have accomplished a lot if all I do is break my addiction to caffeine! As the days have went by I have removed more and more of the sugars from my diet, and as of August 30th I am only eating vegetables, protein, and a few berries. I can not have starches like potatoes, corn or pasta, sugar of any kind, wheat, flour, or fruit that is high in sugar. I can have 15g of protein with each meal and unlimited mostly green veggies. I only drink water, and herbal tea with no added sugar. Mostly, I just drink water. I've had hot tea the last few days just because I wanted something hot to drink! I make my own salad dressing out of apple cider vinegar and olive oil. I have learned to eat hummus, and I actually like it. I love almond butter with celery.

I know this isn't going to be easy. The doctor told me that it might take 60 days before I see any results. Some days when I'm eating my salad I think that I could hate this, but then I remember why I'm doing it. I want to be healthy! I do not want to die young. I have lost 5lbs as of today. That doesn't seem like much when I need to lose 50! I do feel better already. I can come home from work and not need to lay down immediately for a nap. This is going to be a long journey. I will have to make this a lifestyle change. My family is supporting me so that makes it a little easier.

I am going to try to record my daily challenges and meals. For the last few weeks I've been eating boiled eggs for breakfast, a salad at lunch, and then a protein and vegetable for supper. I do eat snacks during the day. Usually that is green peppers with hummus, celery with almond butter, cheese and olives, or cottage cheese and berries. Snacks are important to me because I feel like I am getting a reward!

Here we go....this is day 12 of the journey!

I am not a good blogger

Well, I guess it is official! I am just not a good blogger! I can't seem to fit blogging into my daily life anymore. Now I no longer have visitors... Oh well, summer is just a difficult time. We are extremely busy with church, work, and just life. When I do have a spare moment I want to be doing something with the family not sitting in front of a computer. So, when did blogging become a chore? I guess when I started sitting for hours trying to think of the appropriate topic to discuss or maybe it was when I started taking pictures just to place on my blog! What was I thinking? Well anyway...if you don't see much of me around here please don't get mad at me. I'll be back from time to time. Just not regularly. I have to remember that I didn't really start this blog to attract followers or to make money. I started this blog for me. Just to record my feelings...a journal of sorts. I started this blog to record my trials over the last year, and how with God's help we turn those trials into blessings or lemons into lemonade! As I've progressed I've forgotten to witness, and because I forgot that I was doing this for myself, I chose not to share my trials for fear that I would be embarrassed. Oh well, I am going to get back to the true reason for starting my blog. If you don't see me for a while don't worry I'll be back. Believe me I have trials daily, and God does help me to overcome them. I'll share those trials so that others that maybe going through the same thing can see how we come through triumphant.

God Bless You All!

Stress + Krista = Disaster

About this time last year my health problems started, and it was during a stressful time of my life too! I had a few problems with some friends, I quit working for my Dad, and then what happens...I start having major migraines! Okay, so stress is not my friend, and that is what the doctor said. Make sure you are getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night, eat properly (no skipping meals which I have a tendency to do), and remove stress from your life. Now just how do you do that? Remove stress from your life...if anyone has figured that out let me know!

I am looking forward to our vacation in 8 days! There are 16 of us going on a cruise. Ultimately that is a no stress situation, but leave it to me to make it stressful. Who else gets stressed out over making sure everything is packed, and that we have enough money to have a good time without overspending? AAARRRRGGGGHHHH Why can't anything just be simple in my mind? I think I am wired to make everything complicated! I don't intend to, it just happens. I start thinking of all the 'what if' factors. Like, 'what if' we can't fit all of our luggage in the vehicle? 'What if' we don't make it to the boat in time? 'What if' our passport cards don't get here before next Friday? Now Charlie knows my problem and has already made appropriate measures to ensure that none of these things will cause a problem. For instance, he made arrangements that we can put the luggage on top of the vehicle if the back isn't big enough. He wants to leave before 8pm, which should give us plenty of time to get to the port before 1pm the next day (it is a 12 hour drive). I checked with the cruise line, multiple times, and as long as we have our birth certificates and are leaving & returning to a US port than we don't even need our passports. Okay so everything is taken care of, right? NO, my mind just starts coming up with more potential 'what ifs'? I can't even let vacation be simple!

If Brendia is reading this she is probably rolling out of her chair laughing because she knows how OCD I am! I even made a packing spreadsheet to make sure I didn't forget anything. Guess What? I did, Brendia emailed me yesterday afternoon to tell me that I left off shaving cream! By the end of the week I would have been a woolly mammoth!

I need a mental vacation! Hopefully I will get one on Sunday. Our first day on the cruise is a day at sea! I can't wait. I have already told everyone that I am unavailable that entire day! I want to lay out in the sun or even just sleep in the room. Whatever it takes to relax, that is what I am doing!

Enough about vacation. Let's talk about my job. Most of you know that I started this job in December 2008. I work in a retail cell phone store in the mall. I do not work retail hours. I work Monday - Friday 8:30-5. I found out this week that my schedule is probably going to change. We are going to a new scheduling system that schedules everyone based on store needs and projected customer needs. Even though my job is not customer impacting, my job title is. I have a job title that doesn't relate to my actual job duties. The district manager is trying to get the back office sales support to be exempt from this new schedule but we don't know yet if this is going to be possible. There are 7 of us that do the same job in this district just in different stores. Our job was a trial thing and the other stores in the nation do not have a back office person. This could mean that I would have to work anytime that the store is open Sunday - Saturday pretty much 10am - 9pm. Of course Sundays are 12 - 6, but that still causes a problem. Then we were told that our job might even be phased out since the other stores do not have a position such as ours. Our position was created to increase efficiencies. We do most of the office management duties so the store manager can be on the sales floor increasing sales. If our district manager can't prove that we've increased efficiencies and sales are increased because of us then why do they need a back office person? The manager could go back to doing the paperwork before the store opens. They pay him a salary anyway, right?

So, Please pray for me and my job. I want the Lord's will. Charlie & I really need the second income to make our bills each month. While I would much rather be at home being a good housewife, the mountain that we've created must be crossed first. We have paid off a good amount of debt since I've been working but we still have more. I should know something for sure once I get back from vacation.

It makes me remember that God is in control. I AM NOT!! We are all in God's hands.

It happened again...

This past weekend our church held our annual minister's convention. It begins on Friday night, and goes through Sunday night. We always have a great time, but it is very tiring. The Friday night service is mostly singing, and just a short sermon. Saturday & Sunday we have 2 services each day. By the end of the Sunday night service we are all exhausted which gets me to the reason I am posting today.

Last night I became very sick during the service. Actually it happened at the very beginning of service. I started feeling dizzy, and then I felt almost like an explosion in my head. It felt like ants were crawling all over my head or a thousand needles. Then I couldn't feel my fingers or toes on my right side. I guess I could feel them, it just felt like needles or like they both went to sleep. I'm sure you all know how that feels. I sit there for a few minutes just trying to keep it together. I didn't want to lose it in front of 3000 people. My sister was sitting next to me and she began to realize something was wrong with me. Charlie was sitting on the rostrum with all the ministers but I tried to get his attention to let him know that I needed prayer! He saw me and looked at me funny. He later told me that he could tell something was wrong but he couldn't understand what I was saying. As I sit there I begin to feel nauseous then I felt like I had to go to the bathroom. I told my sister that I was going to try to get to the bathroom. She asked me if I wanted her to get Charlie. I think I said yes, but I'm not really sure. When I stood up I thought I was going to fall back down. I made my way past the people that were sitting on the pew and finally made it to the aisle. I didn't have far to walk to get out of the sanctuary but it felt like miles.

We made it to the bathroom without accident. I was barely walking, and I really felt like a drunk person. I was washing my hands and I heard Charlie in the hall asking where I was. I still couldn't feel my right foot or right hand. I walked out of the bathroom and when I saw him I started crying. He asked me what I wanted him to do, and all I could say was pray for me. I tried to tell him what was wrong but my words were slurring. He prayed for a long time, and I began to have feeling come back into my right side. I told him that I felt like I would be okay, and I wanted to go back into the church.

I sit through the remainder of the service trying to control my right side. I was involuntarily shaking, but only on that side. I held my arms crossed so that no one would notice or so I thought. Beth was on my left side and Brendia was on my right. At one point during the service Beth moved over and I almost fell. I didn't realize that I was leaning on her until then. I don't know how long the service lasted. I know that 2 preachers spoke but don't ask me what they spoke on because I have no idea. During the service I was talking quietly to myself. I just kept saying No, I will not be like ______ (another lady that has had seizures in our church), and No, I will no let this claim me! Later Brendia said that I was saying No, but that was it.

After the service was finally over, Charlie came down from the rostrum to get me. We were trying to get out of the church, but with over 3000 people it was difficult to do it quickly. There were also several people from all over the country that we really needed to tell bye because it will be months before we see them again. We made our way down the center aisle, and spoke to a couple of people. I talked to my brother from Florida and told him good bye. I sat down in a chair once while Charlie was talking to someone else. An older man that we know came by and spoke to Charlie and then to me. He walked on by me but then he came back. He told me that he felt like the Lord was going to heal my body, and that it was going to happen right then. I sat there for a couple more minutes and it was almost like a fog lifted off my head. Charlie quit talking and we walked on down the aisle. As we were walking down the aisle, Charlie's cousin walked up to me and hugged me. She also told me that she felt like the Lord was going to move for me. She said she hadn't ever prophesied to anyone before but she really felt like telling me that.

Several of my family stopped us to ask if I was okay. I told them I was feeling better and that we were going home. You see this is the same thing that happened to me last year and this is why I went to the neurologist. The doctor has diagnosed me with partial on-set seizures, but I refused to take the medication. I haven't had a "spell" since last July after the church elders anointed and prayed over me. My family was very worried about me. My daughter told me later that went I went out to the restroom that my face was white as a ghost. We made it home and I slept well last night without incident. For that I am grateful. I was afraid that once I went to sleep I would go into a full blown seizure but I didn't. I know that God was watching over me.

Today I am work. My right side is extremely sore. I feel like I've been lifting weights or something. I am a little dizzy today, but nothing that I can't handle. I am still believing in my miracle. I have Faith that God won't let me down. I will not let this take me over. Please pray for me and help me believe!

Making Plans...

When life is at it's fullest we began to make plans. Plans for what do you say? Well, usually plans for vacation!

Sometimes when I am tired and worn out from just the daily tasks of life I began to get depressed, and just the thoughts of vacation rejuvenate me. We've been talking about vacation with the kids for several months now. Since our kids have been old enough to have a suggestion about vacation we've let them be in on the discussion. If you know my kids then you probably know that this started when they were about 2. My kids are talkers... Wonder where they get that from? anyway, back to my point. We had several ideas, and couldn't come down to just one. Of course money is always a factor, and we know we have to go somewhere that is within our budget. My husband is a big Disney fan, so his suggestion was to rent a house in Orlando/Kissimmee and spend the week at Disney World and Universal Studios with maybe a day or two in Daytona. I had a couple of ideas. There are two places that I would love to take my kids. I've been there, but they haven't. My first idea was to fly to Las Vegas then rent a car. After spending a couple of days in Las Vegas then we could drive to the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, even LA isn't far away. My second idea was to drive up north, going to New York City, and then drive back down through Washington DC. Staying a few days in each place. Charlie and the kids didn't want to go anywhere that we had to drive a lot, so that pretty much nixed my ideas. We've been to Disney multiple times, and the kids are getting older so that doesn't interest them very much. The kids ganged up on us and want to go on a cruise. Charlie and I have been on 2 cruises, but they've not been with us either time. At first we were afraid that a cruise would be over budget, but I began to look. Because of our past cruiser discounts we can save over $200 per person. This brought it within budget. We began to talk about it with our extended family, and now there are 16 of us going! We are going to have a blast! The great thing about it is that it is all family. That was one of the stipulations that my children had. They just wanted family to go because they want to be able to relax & have a good time.

I am really excited. Our trip is planned for May 30 - June 6. We will be going to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel Mexico. Beth & I have started shopping for formal dresses. Thankfully, she is a very modest girl. It does make it a little hard though. She wants a formal dress that isn't too short, low cut, and it has to have sleeves. We are having a tough time finding something that isn't too expensive and doesn't look to old for her. We will persevere and I know that we will find something! We have several months too look and I know that we will find the perfect dress!

Yesterday after church I began to think about making plans for vacation and about how it has changed my mood the last couple of days. I then began to think about going to Heaven. Sometimes we lose our focus, and forget about our ultimate destination. It is very easy to become downhearted. Sometimes I began to even doubt my salvation. Don't tell me that you've not done that too because you know that you have! Our Pastor preached a wonderful doctrinal subject yesterday about the true sheep fold. Not everyone enjoys those times when we go to church and the preacher is teaching, but I do. I always learn something new. The sermon led me to thinking about something my grandfather used to say. He would call those types of sermons "nuggets". He said that you just take it and put it back because you'll need it someday. I began to correlate the two things in my mind; vacation & Heaven. There are so many similarities, but Heaven will be our ultimate vacation. Will I have everything I need to make this journey? Do I have everything packed correctly? Are my garments ready? Do I have the right clothes on? Each time I go to church and receive something new I should be "packing" it away so that I'll be ready when Jesus calls.

Just like preparing for a cruise...do we have our passports ready? Do we have our clothes packed? Do we have the right kind of clothes for every event? Is our life in order? Are we ready?

TGIF

Really, I am thanking God that it is finally Friday! Many things have happened since last Friday. Jump back 1 week...I was sick. Remember Bah Humbug...well, that was me. I am not a very nice sick person. I just don't take being sick very well. I am whiny and want attention, but yet I don't want anyone to bother me. Does that make sense? Of course not. My husband for over 18 years still doesn't understand it. I try to tell him, just acknowledge that I am ill, and then leave me alone. I will get better eventually. Charlie doesn't get the acknowledge that I am ill part. He just leaves me alone!

Last Friday night we had a lock-in planned at church. I really didn't want to go, but since I was probably going to be the only female adult supervision, I had to! Believe it or not, I made it. We had a great time. We played board games, and video games all night long. We played American Idol, which is a blast by the way, Guitar Hero World Tour, Soccer, Racing, honestly I can't even remember all the games that were played. We had a great time. We had pizza, chicken wings, chips, and I made 7 dozen chocolate chip cookies, 1 dozen at a time. Each dozen was gone as soon as I brought them out of the oven. It was a night to remember.

Then sometime during the night, I don't remember what time it was, Charlie's mother called. His uncle had a massive heart attack and was on life support. Charlie & I discussed it and decided not to tell the youth. We just continued the lock-in and made plans to go to Georgia as soon as we could. We finally made it home about 8am. Charlie and I both passed out till about 2:30. We had missed several calls from Charlie's Dad. He thought we were going to meet him at the hospital. We immediately got up, dressed, packed, and left for Georgia. By the time we arrived at the hospital they had already taken his uncle off the life support. His heartbeat was steadily decreasing. The doctors & nurses said that they didn't think he'd make it through the night. Charlie's Dad didn't want to leave the hospital. He wanted to be there when his brother took his last breath. That night became the longest ever. We stayed up all night Friday night, and it didn't seem like the minutes lasted hours, but sitting in that ICU waiting room on Saturday night the minutes lasted days. Charlie's Dad said he would leave come daylight if nothing had changed. We all left about 7am. His uncle passed away about 1:30 on Sunday afternoon. The funeral was planned for Wednesday. Charlie & I left Georgia Sunday evening so that we could come home and work on Monday. We turned right back around Tuesday morning and went back to Georgia, not returning home until Wednesday night. I am thankful that God watched over us in the many miles that we traveled. I would ask each of you to pray for Charlie's Aunt. His uncle & aunt had been married 58 years. I can't even imagine the pain that she must feel having to go home to an empty house. I know that God can comfort her and the family during this time of grief.

Of course we returned home to snow & ice. Charlie is now sick. I guess he caught the cold that I had last week. Needless to say it has been the longest 7 days ever! I am so thankful that it is Friday.

Headache!!!!

Today, I woke up with the one of the most horrendous headaches! It has been months since my head has hurt this bad. I think I slept wrong or something. When I woke up I could barely move my neck and the entire back of my head felt like it was going to explode! Charlie massaged it for me and then I took a hot shower to try to work out some of the tightness. It relieved it enough that I was able to go to work. Now, I just can't seem to get my thoughts focused. I have asked Charlie to pray, and I will ask you too. Please say a prayer for me that God will move this headache or just give me the strength to bear it.

There is a song that has been on my mind the past couple of weeks. It is called "It Didn't Come to Stay". The words are beautiful.

It Didn't Come to Stay

Sickness must be present for healing to take place

Lives must be broken so they can be restored

We must stop looking at our hard times like they are dead end roads

But avenues to prove that he is Lord!

It didn't come to stay it came to pass

The Lord will move that mountain if you ask

The trials that we see today won't last

It didn't come to stay it came to pass

If I should live by sight I would be beaten down

Because I can't see past these walls of circumstance

But faith will be my substance and my hope is in the Lord

And He will turn my sorrow into dance

Oh He will turn my sorrow into dance!

It didn't come to stay it came to pass
The Lord will move that mountain if you only ask
The trials that we see today won't last
It didn't come to stay it came to pass

Weeping may endure for the night

Oh but I'll find my joy tomorrow, tomorrow

It didn't come to stay it came to pass

The Lord will move that mountain if you only ask

The trials that we see today won't last

It didn't come to stay it came to pass

**After I wrote this post I searched through my old posts because I wanted to listen to a video that I knew that I had posted with The Isaacs singing It Is Well. I listened to the video, and then I just happened to scroll down and read the previous post. It made me think about everything that I've been through this year. How at the time I wrote the post I didn't know why I was having sleepless nights and waking up with headaches. I do know now, and last night was the first night that it has happened since the elders prayed for me this past summer. I know it was God that led me to read that entry. I will not give Satan the victory today! I will overcome. Also, take the time to read the Proverbs 31 devotional that I referenced that day.

A Penny to remind us...

I received this email from a friend today, and it touched me. I thought I'd share with all my friends. We must always remember to trust in God!


A PENNY
You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the sidewalk being good luck, gifts from angels, etc.. This is the first time I've ever heard this twist on the story. Gives you something to think about.Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home....

My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway,and cars costing more than her house. The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live... The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely..

As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband.He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment.Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny.He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up?

Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She casually mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?'Look at it' He said. 'Read what it says.' She read the words ' United States of America ''No, not that; read further.''One cent?' 'No, keep reading.''In God we Trust?' 'Yes!' 'And?''And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!

When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, 'In God We Trust,' and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message.It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful! And, God is patient.

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God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way. I hope you are all having a wonderful day, and that God is with you every step of the way!

Icy Hot Patch BEWARE!!!

Several weeks ago I received a sample of Icy Hot Medicated Patch from Walmart. Not thinking much about it I put in my sample basket for later use. I frequently have lower back pain, and usually use a heating pad or just take a couple ibuprofen to alleviate the pain. Last Thursday night my back was hurting pretty bad and I remembered I had the Icy Hot Patch. I read the instructions which are very easy and applied the patch to my lower back for 8 hours. It felt great! My back immediately began to feel better. I took the patch off after 8 hours and really didn't think about it very much after that. Tuesday my back started itching, and I couldn't figure out why. It bothered me the entire day, but I didn't say anything about it to anyone. After arriving home I asked my son & daughter to look at my back. They both gasped! My daughter who had helped me apply the patch immediately said "Mom there are little red bumps in a rectangle the size of that patch you used!" Well the last two days have been horrible. My back itches, burns, and is driving me literally crazy! I've used benadryl cream, and I even took benadryl pills. I just want everyone to know to stay away from this product. Hopefully this will eventually go away, but enduring it is definitely irritating.

MRI is over!!

Well, it's over! Thank the Lord!

Today at 9:30 I went to Fort Sanders for a MRI of the Brain...doesn't that just sound scary?!? I have been praying about my health and I know that if the Lord brings me to it...then he'll bring me through it, right?

Mostly I was just scared about actually having the MRI. Several years ago my husband was in a really horrible car accident and had to have several MRIs done. He had a panic attack while in the machine the first time. I was scared that I would not be able to stand it for the entire time that it took to have the test.

So what do we do when we have doubts? we call on our friends and family to pray. I called everyone that I know and asked them to pray for me today around 10am. I made a list (LOL hahahaha) of the things that I could think about while I was in the machine. Doesn't that just sound crazy? I am really getting into sewing and making things so in my mind I was putting together different fabrics for blankets. Then what happens?? I ran out of things to think about. I had already thought of everything on my list! I really had planned this out and thought that I would have 30 minutes of contemplating, but NO!! What do you think I did?

don't laugh....I started counting! yes, counting...I was thinking that I probably should only have about 5 minutes left so I started counting. Needless to say I didn't make it to 300 before the nurse told me that the test was over!

whhhhooooowwwww....thank goodness! I never want to do that again! I think I'll hear those noises for the rest of my life....beep beep beep boop boop boop MAAAWWWW MMMAAWWW over and over and over....

My doctor should receive the test results in 48 business hours, and if he thinks that I need to come in before my appointment on July 7 then his office will call me. Let's all pray that nothing is wrong with the test results and I don't have to go in till July 7!

Thank you all for praying for me!

He did it all for me!

Yesterday was a pretty down day for me. I'm sure we all have those days where nothing bad has happened. You just feel depressed. Well, that was my yesterday. On the way home I was joking with my sister and told her that I couldn't wait to get to church last night because I needed a booster shot! (Like B12 shot) This has been one one of those weeks where I am glad my church has a Wednesday night service.

Last night our Assistant Pastor preached that if I had been the only one that needed saved Jesus would still have given his life. He spoke about how through Jesus we have a right to Heaven, and about how we all feel unworthy but through Jesus we are more than worthy. He read a passage that I would like to share with you.

Romans 8: 16-18
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

These are the words of Apostle Paul. I know that my sufferings do not compare with the Apostle. When I read these words I think about Heaven and it reminds me that any suffering I have on earth will not even matter when we get there. This sermon was just the booster shot that I needed.

It is easy to feel depressed when the trials of just everyday life seem to get in the way. My husband says it best "Sometimes Life gets in the way of Living!" Thank you all for praying for me yesterday! I woke up today with a renewed energy.

God Bless You All!
Krista

Need a Vacation?

Do you ever feel like you need a time-out?

I have watched my son while playing basketball lift up his hands in the classic 'T' sign signaling to the ref that he wants a time-out? Challenges at work, challenges at home, challenges with family, obstacles to the left and to the right and I very well feel as though I need a time-out. I need a vacation but I don’t have the time or the money to take one. I need a break, I need a live in housekeeper to take care of the family but it’s the real world where I live and that is not going to happen. So what do I do? Where do I turn? Do I just try to maintain my dignity and go down with the ship? Do I just keep that stiff upper lip and keep on keeping on? I keep signaling for a time-out but no one sees.

I know I am definitely on the road to a full blown pity party! I have a choice: I can stay at this party all day and wallow in self-despair or I can choose to perk up my mood my literally counting my blessings! God has been so good to my family. We are all healthy. Charlie & I both have good jobs. God has let me have a work in his church. My children are intelligent, talented, compassionate, and above all else healthy. God gives me joy and peace; my pity parties only leave me feeling hopeless and dissatisfied. When I feel like no one is listening to me or seeing my 'signals' I have to remind myself that God is always listening and usually I find that I haven't been talking to him.

Okay I've taken a few minutes to vent to my on-line friends. Now, rather than wallow in self-pity, I am going to take a few minutes to talk to God and remember to listen for what he has to say to me!

God Bless You All!
Krista

When Life Gives You Lemons

We've all heard the old saying, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade". Sometimes it seems such a trite saying, especially if someone quotes it to us when we are in a great dilemna in our life. There are things such as a health situation or something traumatic happening with our family members that we may not be able to make lemonade out of or change the situation. However, God does give us the strength to deal and handle even the most trying of circumstances. So even though we can't stop the lemons from falling or make something better of a situation, we can determine to better the way in which we handle those 'lemons'. Remember life is 10% of what happens to us and 90% of how we react to it!

Lemons are going to fall into our lives. There may be circumstances arise that we can't change, but we need to do our best to make the most of them and to deal with them. Sometimes we forget that God is still in control. A few weeks ago my Pastor quoted a saying for F.E.A.R that I loved. He said FEAR is Forgetting Everythings All Right! We don't always know what God's outcome is, but I am so glad that God does things in HIS plan and timing and not ours. My sincere wish is that I will be willing for HIS will in my life!