Fireworks of life...

The Bible says were wonderfully and fearfully made. However on most days my wonderfully fearfully made scales tip way over on the fearful side.

I wish it weren't so, but it is. I get overwhelmed like OMG is my house ever going to be cleaned, will that sticky stuff on the floor be evident to that person who just came in the door, will that elusive dog crap ever quit finding its way into my house, will Sophie's ear infection ever quit, will Ian ever learn to tie his shoes, will Kennedy ever quit getting into a funk on her dads weekend, will I ever financially make it?

I get burdened by the questions.

Then I remember,
that night in June a few years ago, I had the 1st of many conversations, ones in which HE answers me, "Val, I got this, let it go" and I say "but", and HE replies "in my house there are no but's". And I nod and say, Ok and dip my face in shame only to feel HIS touch on my chin raising it up again saying, "It's for your good, and it's because I love you".

We've all been there right? (Just say yeah to make me feel better).

Well sometimes I live there, I live in the I gotta fix this stage too. I make myself feel better by saying, well HE made me this way, or it's just part of who I am. But when I step in and try to "fix" it becomes about me, and less about HIM. My life isn't about me. It's about HIM. HIM who knows my heart, who knows I want myself not to heal the brokenness of others but to watch and have a front row seat to watch the Splendor and Glory of God's Amazing Touch.

I imagine it like our faces on the 4th of July staring up at the sky watching and waiting with each boom to see the beautiful fireworks placed against the black sky of night. There is a reason that fireworks are at night, the splendor is the greatest then. The same with God's amazing works, it happens at the darkest times and we who are HIS watch with bated breath and with ooohhhhss and aaahhhhsss at the HIS display of Grace and Mercy, and Healing.  God is great everyday, our views are the only thing that changes.

So in the darkness of my days I pray for HIS HOPE to be infused in my life today, my every breath to be a relief of HIM, my every second to be set to music from his harp, bless me FATHER.

Me.

What if...

Last night we had the "what if this isn't about me" talk. The one where you hope that they understand that our purpose is about the greater good of the Kingdom, the one where you hope that their belief is strong enough to understand and their faith is big enough to wrap their arms around it.

And it was.

He said you know, my dad said the same thing tonight at dinner and "what if it is".

Lord, Your Word tells us in Romans 8:28 that All things work together for the good of those who love God & are called according to HIS purpose.

So Lord, I call upon YOU to work and know that we are here believing, expecting, waiting, and calling on YOUR testimony to those who do not know YOU.

This "steve" doesn't believe. Show him the truth, the way, the life through YOU. Answer his questions with Tony or his dad. Let their hearts lead them in the way they should address his questions.

Amen.

Expecting the Amazing

My day began late as I expected and 7 AM came very very fast once I shut my eyes.
This is the side effect of a baby being on steroids.

But momma was exhausted & when Sophie did sleep I had to hold her so the few hours I did get were sitting up holding a 1 year old. There aren't words to explain how tired I am, I think I'm beyond the tired and running on adreneline right now.


Emotionally I'm a wreck too, you see someone I care about so very deeply is hurting and I can't do anything about it. Nothing. Nothing but pray and leave it in God's hands.  Which sounds so easy, but really it's so hard to put my hands up and say "it's your's Lord".

I'm a fixer, God created me to be a fixer, and HE doesn't make mistakes. Sooooo what do I do about this urge to fix this? To get on a plane, fly out there & hold his hand. I wait (and I'm suppose to do it patiently but that's another virtue that I've not mastered either), and I wait, and I wait. I hope and I hope and I hope. I believe and I believe and I believe. And last but not least I do it all with expectancy! Expecting God to bless him and save him from the evilness of others.

I'm here expecting, believing, waiting & hoping.

Me.

It's 2 AM & I must be crazy!

It's 2 AM here in my world. And in my world is a 1 yr old who is wired for sound, me who is heartbroken over lost hope, 2 kids asleep in my bed, and 1 very old dog asleep on the couch.

I don't know how I got here, whatever train it was I hope it has derailed so that no one else takes this ride. I also don't know how to get off this train.

"Oh God's got great plans for you, HE is pruning you" my friend 1says. Well what you call pruning, I call punishing. I can't imagine that I've ever been so down I said to myself a short bit ago, so I looked back. And what to my teary eyes should appear but a journal from this time several years ago. Yes I have, and each time I was heartbroken, heavy laden, and survived. This time I'm sure I will survive too. But honestly right now sleep would be helpful, just not seeing it in my immediate future.

I come home to a very very very messy house, that set me on my ears, then when I switched my phone tonight the switch didn't happen all at once & some of my text messages went to my old phone. This made an issue with someone I care about greatly. And now there is no response from them on their end.

When you love someone who is going through their own set of trials & tribulations & you want so desperately to take that pain away from them it's proof that you love.

Having this proof that I do love, is proof that I have overcome those times in the past when I thought I couldn't take 1 more step or handle 1 more thing in my life. It was each of those times that I thank God I sat down & wrote it out. HE knew that I would be sitting here 1 Wednesday morning bright and early like 2 AM early & need to know, that it will be okay.

That I will be able to continue through this. That this world will not overtake me, that sleep will come at some point, the dishes will get done at some point, my heart will heal at some point, and my breaths will continue and most importantly these tears will stop at some point.

My heart is heavy because I am a fixer, but being an earthy "fixer" is taking things into my own hands and taking them out of God's. I have spent much time in prayer & petition for this person I've come to love and his situation, I have called upon the Lord, I have sent Satan running, and yet it doesn't seem to help anything. Aren't I suppose to be able to say, "this is my testimony, this is what God can do, this is an example of how HE can heal, this is HIS power at work." And maybe I will very soon, be able to say those things and more. But today, this morning at 2 AM, I don't feel it. Is it possible to believe it & not feel it?

I mean I believe in the ability for gigantic boats to float in the waters, but can't feel them. I believe that planes can fly but can't touch one right now. So I do believe it's possible to believe & not feel it.

This momma's tired. Help me. Sweet Jesus. Help me!

Love, me.

PS- feels good to be back.

May 6, 2013

Good Morning Lord,

It's a Monday & I'm up, so I'm blessed. But honestly, 5 AM came early.

I went to visit Rich yesterday, it was a good visit. He's ready to get out & I'm ready for him too. I'm hopeful and I know he is too. Lord, Your Will be done. That is my prayer. I can't wait for him to see Sophie. I feel she has changed so much in the last month. I do love Rich. But I'm not going to return to the life I had before. He has a lot to take control of and until he does I'm not jumping in full throttle. I don't want to date anyone to be honest, I don't have time.

In my last post, I spoke to You about the desire to know that I'm liked. On last Friday night, I had someone come up to me at a ballgame and start flirting with me. He was really cute, very nice, a new Christian, and a single dad. All I can say is Thanks! Thanks! Thanks!

I texted Tim last night and asked him if he would want to do the every other weekend visitation with the kids, he said "YES!". I've been thinking about it a lot recently. I need the help desperately. I hate it, but it doesn't change much as far as the number of times he will get them, maybe 1 or 2 more times a year. So Lord, I hope I did right.

Grandma seems to be getting weaker. Please Lord, don't let her suffer.

Thanks so much for loving me and choosing me. In YOUR name,
Amen.

A note to my Lord.

Dear Lord, I'm here again. My tears have stopped for now and I was wanting to talk.

Why is a question I have a lot.

I'm struggling again. I don't know what sets this off. It's like a avalanche of emotions from time to time.

The overwhelming feelings of doing it all, being their all, and having the responsibility of it all. It's the "all" that is too much. Plus it's the constant stress from my mom that is killing me.

I will never be who she wants me to be. I'm okay with that. I am not perfect, but I don't want to be like her either. I like the me that is loving and kind to my dads family. But do I have to endure the sarcastic remarks because I am kind to them? That makes things much harder for me. I find myself hiding my kindness to them or not sharing what I would like to about things that involve them with her, and sometimes she's my only adult conversation after work.

I'm trying to teach my children responsibility, but I'm also so tired of harping and yelling. It's not working. I don't know how to do it.

I'm frustrated because the one person I considered my close friend isn't being very friendly anymore. She seems to only call when she needs something. She knows I've been struggling lately with everything and hasn't once called to check on me.

The dog. O' Lord, that dog. I love Hannah, but the constant nails on the floor and her barking, etc is just frustrating especially when I'm trying to get or keep Sophie asleep.

Also Lord, the stress from Rich is huge. I don't want to return to the life I had before his last escapade, but sometimes I get so lonely and need conversation and a reminder that here on earth someone likes me. Sounds so childish I know. But we all like to know we are liked.

Please help me today. Amen.  

Honestly

Time for honesty.

1. I've talked with Richie.

He is still getting help for his problem. But yes we've spoken.

I want to be an encourager to him, I want him to know that I support his good choices. I want him to know I'm praying for him, and for Sophie too because more than anything else she deserves a sober daddy.

Within 2 weeks he will be home & beginning life, hopefully, anew. Infused with God. Every. Single. Pore.

The praying is my job, the believing is my job, the rest is his job.

2. My days are chaotic and hurried, and busy, and I don't like it. There just doesn't seem to be any peace. It's like the constant of something...always.

The dog who is very very very old is huffing and puffing, and walking around with the sound of her feet on the floor. Sophie is crying. The kids fighting. A spill is made. Supper is late. I'm tired. Laundry is piling up. There is chicken in the fridge that needs to be cooked up. Grandma's clothes are needing to be cleaned and returned to the nursing home. Grandma is calling reminding me to pick up her mail. Dad has forgotten something and needs an errand ran. Mom won't watch the kids for me to run the errand and so I have to take all 3 kids. Softball practice doesn't start til 6:30 PM and last until 8 PM, it's too cold to get Sophie out of the car so we sit in the car at the field. All are hungry, including Sophie and it's just hard.

That was 1 day. That was yesterday.

My friend tries to call, and I don't answer because honestly speaking, it's hard to change a diaper, talk on the phone and remind Ian to not get in the road.

After I am unable to answer her 4th or 5th call, I get the "are you mad at me text?". "Seriously" is what I want to reply, but I don't. I reply "no, just overwhelmed." Her reply; "do you know if I can take my dog in the school building?". Once again I want to reply; "seriously!" but instead say "I don't know."

I don't have time for that kind of conversation. The only one I want to hear is the one where the words "It's going to be okay" come towards me from the lips of my friend to my ears and heart.

Days like yesterday are everyday. And everyday I survive only by the Grace of God.

3. I don't feel good. Major headache accompanied the 30 degree difference in temperature these last 24 hours. I want to lay my head down and someone rub my hair  until I fall asleep. I want to be cold enough to snuggle but not to hot that I sweat.

I want peace. I know that there is that saying that says- "No God, no peace. Know God, know peace." But in the Knowing God is the constant battle for peace. It seems satan seeks to steal our joy and our peace so the fight is constant.

But I will remain diligent and faithful and full of hope that God will continue to grant me the Grace that I need to survive.

Night,
Me.