MOM

The older I get the more I realize as a child I had no idea all the things my mother did for me. The love she showed me and the things she sacrificed.

My mother was 18 by one month when she had me. She got her GED and married my father. Later she put herself though EMT school, Phlebotomy's school, X-ray technician school, and got her CDL to drive school bus. She was married to my father for 21 years before they divorced, and most of the time she was playing both roles of mom and dad.

Most of my childhood she was working two jobs at one time, and trying to write her music, But we always had a mother. She was never farther away than a phone call, and she was always home for dinner.

Many times growing up I didn't understand why she did the things she did. It didn't make since to me. Now that I'm grown and I have a child of my own I understand more. I now realize what she did and why she had to do those things.

So to my mother: Thank you, thank you for being mom and dad, for watching out for me, for being stricter than other parents, but most of all thank you for being my mom and not my friend. I love you.

love this quote

People see God every day, they just don't recognize him. ~Pearl Bailey


hope you like the quote.

Quote

God can only do with you, what he can do through you.

I love this quote, because it puts me in my place. When I forget were I am suppose to be it reminds me that I am suppose to be still and be with my Lord. Letting him lead me and live through me. I have trouble with always wanting to be incontrol and have things in order. This quote reminds me that I am not worry about those things, but instead worry about were I am.

Am I with my God or am I living outside of him.

Just a quote.

I love this quote by Dolly Parton it really makes me look at things differently.

"We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails."

Life

In so many places in our life we have to make hard decisions. Decisions that will change who we are forever, and marriage is one of those decisions. We make the choice to jump in it so fast not thinking of what could come later.

We say, "I do, " and think that we will love this person forever, that nothing will tear us apart, and this, "in love feeling," will never change. We don't stop to think about how the things that we say in fight will hurt each other, or the actions that will make us feel disconnected.

I have only been married for five years, but I have developed a passion to make my marriage last 50+ years from now. I constantly read marriage books, scripture, and go on marriage retreats that are offered. But, I have yet to the manual. I see people that do nothing, that think that there marriage will fix itself, and they blame the other. When it's all over and done with, and they can't, "do this anymore," they give up and leave.

It truly breaks my heart to watch a marriage fail. I was 21 when my parents split up, and it hurt more than words can say. They were what I modeled my marriage on. They were what I knew of marriage. I can now say I try to model my marriage on the Bible, but it doesn't make it any easier.

When we go through these times were we hurt each other we have to recognize what we are doing. We have to change ourselves, and we have to seek forgiveness. We can't change the other person; it has to start with ourselves. There are still hurtful words, and actions. There are things I have went through I would have never thought about on the day I said, "I do," but we love each other. We are not going to be another statistic in a world that says marriage fails.

We will seek out example of marriage from the Lord.

Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hears were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning." Matthew 19.8

The Feet

How, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"- Romans 10.14-15

I long to have beautiful feet! To have feet that say I have walked many miles in the way that the Lord has led me. Many people don't understand this journey that makes are feet no longer beautiful to the human eye. Where are feet are callus, and broken, from many miles of following are Lord.

Are world puts so much energy into loving beauty, and being are own person. I don't want to be a person of this world, I don't want to be my own person. I want to be a tool, I want to owned by the Mighty king, I want my feet to be worn and used, and want the Lord to see them as a thing of beauty.

This world puts labels on us as Christ followers, because it is against us. This world is ruled by Satan, and he does not want us to succeed. Satin does not want us to spread the good news, but the end is already written. And the Lord is on our side.

The lord is my light and my salvation-
Whom shall I fear?
The lord is the stronghold of my life-
Of whom shall I be afraid?
When evil men advance against
me to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack
me,
they will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.
One thing I ask of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble
he will Keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his
tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.
Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with
shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.-psalms 27.1-6

The Lord is on ours side, he is our protector, so what do we fear, Man, whom God made? We have to ask ourselves what do we want out of this life. We can choose between surface happiness or eternal joy. I would rather live this life poor, persecuted, and looked down upon rather than have all the things this world would offer me. I'm am not perfect. I do not know all the answers. There are many followers of Christ who are far better than I, but on my journey I have learned on thing there is a God. This God is glorious, and when all else fails he is there. The one constant that we all seek, and if we can bulk up the courage to make him known, to share his word, and his love. Than maybe that one other person who is broken and looking for acceptance in a lonely world will discover the glorious love we have been keeping to ourselves.

I pray I can make him know. to have the courage to speak his word. That I can be his feet! My fear is that out of my own fear I will not bulk up the courage to speak his word. So, please pray this prayer for me as I will be praying for you
..
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his spirit in you inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.- Ephesians 3.16-19

DARLA

This is for all those who wonder how often I will update my Blog. I love you, and yes Darla this is for you. I hope you have a wonderful night.

God bless,

Sondra

Life at Fort Bragg

We have been at Fort Bragg for about five months now. I can easily say that it has been life changing. As a family we have grown closer and in Christ we are constantly learning more.

We are now on a journey and were it will lead us only our gracious savior knows. I am contemplating and praying that god will lead me in what direction he wants me to go with schooling. I feel very strong about Marriage and am contemplating whether I want to go back to school to be a Christian Marriage Counselor.

Blaine is getting so big. He is growing way to fast, but watching him play and grow gives me a sliver of the understanding of how God views us. He has such a passion for trying new things, with out any fear, and such an innocence. He just jumps into whatever he is doing with out any fear of consequences. It's amazing how a child views the world.

If I can live this life with 1/2 of how Blaine is living his childhood. Jumping head first into whatever god is laying before me, not thinking of the consequences, but living for him in that exact moment, Obeying him and not worrying about the world around me. Then I will have done something even if its just a planted seed.

I worry to much about those around me, about how to present the truth, how to tell of the great love, and I miss the chance. I need to trust that my words will not be mine, but instead be those of the great poet. That he will put the words on my lips and I will be but a puppet.

With that my friends I urge all of you to let the Lord lead you through this day and jump head first into what ever he may lay in path.