A Snake at My House is a Dead Snake

I've often told people that a snake in my yard is a dead snake.  How true I wish this was...because there's one snake who's raising his angry head right now and I'm none too happy about it.

I've always known that the closer I get to God, the more concerned Satan becomes with me.  I guess I'm begin successful in my attempt to draw closer to the Lord, because that ugly snake is attacking in many ways right now.

I have a friend who asked that I pray specifically for confirmation as they are proceeding in the process of adoption.  I committed to do so and felt lead yesterday to message her a written prayer. It wasn't long, but very specific and to the point.  Immediately after sending it, I began to second guess myself.  I began to think of all of these things that I could have added to it.  I could have changed the words to make them sound better. I should have included a big section of thanksgiving. It was already out there in cyberspace; I couldn't take it back.

As the evening continued, I began to feel like maybe I sent it to make myself look better - to "prove" to her that I was actually praying like I said I would. I couldn't get out of my head that I just never should have sent it.

Until I realized that all of these thoughts were Satan needling me, making me questions myself.  When I sent the message, my intent was to pray. That was it. There was no selfish motivation - as a matter of fact, I wasn't even thinking of myself at the time.  I did it for the right reason. How it was received - I can only leave up to God. I have to continue to press on and do what I know God is calling me to do and not look back. When I kill a snake in the yard, I cut its head off.  I have to know that God has already "cut off the head of Satan" in my defense. (Please don't misunderstand, Satan is alive and fighting as hard as he can. BUT God has already won the war in my life. Satan just can't seem to figure it out.)

**I'm including a picture of Cooper and a giant snake at the Houston Zoo earlier this week.  Although, I can't stand snakes of any kind - Satan, especially - Cooper seems to kind of like them.

WARNING - to Tim, Abby, and Cooper

I'm telling my husband and children everyday that they should be afraid - CHANGE is coming and it's going to be big! It has become very obvious to me that God is calling us to make changes in our lives and I, for one, am going to be obedient to His instruction.  I can't begin to discuss it all in this one post, so I decided to revitalize my blog in an attempt to chronicle what it is I hear Him calling us to do, my thoughts about it, and our reactions.  I can't pretend that it's going to be easy, pretty, or even that we are going to be obedient the first time, but I am at a place in my life where I believe that NOW is the time. God is working around us and we are going to be in a place to join Him in that work.

I guess I'll start with what's been going on the last few months that has lead me to this particular place. I won't go into detail here, but I know that upcoming posts will focus on each of these "encounters" as they relate to the upcoming changes.

1. Our pastor at University Heights Baptist Church, Dr. Richard Rogers, has been teaching on this whole idea of making a difference in the world we live in and that God is getting ready to turn this world upside down.  
2. I have recently read Jen Hatmaker's radically, life-changing book 7.  It is without a doubt the most thought provoking and life moving book I've ever read. (And I've read A LOT of books.) 
3. I met with a group of about 40 women from our church to begin thinking about how women's ministry can better serve the women of our church and community.

I do not like change; I do not handle change very well. When I thought about and finally looked up synonyms for change, this is what came up: adjustment, break (yikes!), correction, development, modification, mutation (not so sure I like this one), revolution, and transformation. (There were others, but these really stuck out to me as being meaningful in the change that we are living. THIS IS SCARY!  But I don't find myself as scared as I think I should be.  There is a very real peace about all of this because I KNOW that we are moving in the right direction.

So where are we going from here.  Tim and I are committing the month of July to prayer - seeking God's will  as to how to proceed in getting rid of excesses in our family. (This is the premise of Jen's experimental journey in 7.) As we spend this month in prayer, join us to see how God would want you to make changes in your own lives. I can't promise that my posts will be full of scripture and teaching and God breathed, life-changing, thoughts, but they will be honest and real.

Thankful Thirty: Day 6

Day 6 is DAD!  My dad is the first person Tim and I turn to for advice or just talking things through. He has bailed us out more than once and never steers us wrong.

Thankful Thirty: Day 5

Today I'm so very thankful for my mom.  She is always willing to help me with my kids, my house, whatever comes up.  I know this one is short, but I just can't list it all.

Thankful Thirty: 1-4

It seems like everyone I know is posting on Facebook each day what they are thankful for.  It seems to me it's more appropriate for me to do so here. However, I didn't come to this realization until today - Day 4.  So, allow me to backtrack...

Day 1
This was Thursday.  In all honesty, I was most thankful that this was actually my Friday with students.  It sounds really petty when I put it in writing, but it's real. And to celebrate Fridays, I start my mornings with Rebecca Black.

Day 2

I am thankful for the love of my life - Tim.  After 20 years together, he is still the one to make me laugh, not allow me to take myself to seriously, and puts me in my place regularly.

Day 3

God has blessed me with the best two kids in the world.  Cooper's art teacher (Abby's former art teacher) stopped me last week to tell me how very different they are. Yes, they are.  They are both perfectly made. My life would be BORING and dull without them.

Day 4

Today is Sunday and even thought my Father God comes first, I am taking today to focus on the gratitude I have for Him allowing His Son to die because I am a screw up.

Spring Break

Well it's almost over and I can't say that I accomplished a whole lot. I did do some reading, but we stayed on the go for most of the week. On Monday we took Yoda to be altered (fixed). By the time we drove to The Woodlands and back twice, the day was pretty much gone. On Tuesday we went to New Caney to watch the Lady Hornets beat New Caney. We went back on Wednesday to play Porter and then on to Humble to watch the girls get their third win in two days. Yesterday we went to the Bush Library and on to Brenham. Blue Bell was full and no tours were available so we just came on home. Today Abby and I had pedicures and just spent the rest of the day at home. Tomorrow is ball, Abby bowling with a friend, and finally a birthday party.

I better find time to do some grading. Not sure when I'll squeeze that in.

I can't believe it's been a year...

Yes, it's been a year, but my friend Kathryn has inspired me to resurrect this blog.  I've recently been blogging some things related to school, but have decided to try to share family stuff here.

Spring Break finds me acting as Abby's social secretary.  It seems all I have in my calendar are Abby's school meetings, private lessons, practices, games, and plans with her friends.  That's not true.  The other things on my calendar are places Tim has to be.  That's just so I know when not to expect him.

Anyway, I'm blogging some school stuff at educationalhorizons.blogspot.com and more spiritual insights and questions at gloryboundgirls.blogspot.com.  Share as you see fit.  I definitely want to get the school blog out there so that I can get some comments and suggestions for where to go with my class.

I'll do my best to keep this site current, but as it's the third one I'm working on...