Tornadoes and Hail

Last night was a devastating night in much of the south, including the Tri-Cities. According to a news report, there were 15 killed in the Tri-Cities. They said we had tornadoes and hail here. I did not see or hear a tornado, but I did see the hail! My driveway was covered with hail the size of golf balls, and some even as big as baseballs. The only damage we sustained was to my poor car. The grill right below the front windshield was busted in several places, the roof has dents all over it, and both doors are dented.





I don't know if you can see the dents on the roof. The lighting isn't good as it is very overcast this morning.

We lost power several times, but for only a minute or so each time. Some of my friends are still without power this morning. Taking Sam to school, I saw much devastation in Bristol. Everywhere was covered with leaves, and there were tree limbs and whole trees down in several places. There were a few traffic lights out. The strangest thing I saw was a trampoline wrapped around a light pole. That was something else!

I didn't work yesterday, but I heard from co-workers that the skylights at Walmart were broken by the storm, which let the hail and rain in the store. I went by there this morning after I dropped Sam off at school to see how bad it was, but the store was closed. That let me know that it must be pretty bad!! I'm scheduled to work 5-9:30 tonight. I wonder if the store will be open by then. I'm so not looking forward to going in tonight!

I hope that all of my friends and family who live in areas affected by these horrible storms are all safe and sound.

Bird's Nest

I have noticed a bird flying out from our eaves whenever we go on the front porch, and I saw some twigs up there. Yesterday, Sam took a chair out there so he could reach it because he wanted to find out if there were any eggs in the nest. Well, the nest turned out to be more elaborate than I had imagined, and there were four bright blue eggs in it. I took a picture and told Sam to put the nest back where he got it. He said that that the bird wouldn't come back to it since a human had messed with it, so the eggs will just die anyway. That made me very sad, but I am happy to announce that the bird DID come back to the nest last night. Pretty soon, I'm sure we will hear the cheeping of little baby birds on our front porch.

Conscience

"If you can live happily with unconfessed sin, if you can live and flourish while you've not any real communion with God, then you have the infallible proof that you've never been born again." - Alan Cairns

While Christians don't ever reach sinless perfection, we should not be able to habitually sin without feeling the conviction of the Lord. I see people around me who claim to be born again, yet they can apparently sin over and over without any pangs of guilt or conscience. Of course, we cannot tell how others feel, and they may very well be miserable inside. But, if they are really able to be happy while in a state of sin, they have good reason to doubt their salvation. It is my desire that all my friends and family have a real relationship with God and make certain of their eternal destination.

My Feelings About My Job

I Surrender All

I can remember singing "I Surrender All" as the invitational hymn at the end of many church services when I was young. It was always one of my favorites. As I got older, I started paying more attention to the words of the song. They were very convicting. Many times, I would just hum the song because I couldn't honestly sing the words. I knew that although I freely surrendered most, there was usually one little part of my life that I wouldn't give up. Lately, I have become in awe again of God's great love toward us. He gave us His all; how can we not give Him our all? I have recently given everything back to Him, after holding onto something which I considered too dear to let go for over four years. I feel such a sense of freedom now. I am now free to do what God wants me to do, and I am free to receive His blessings in my life. I hope you will be blessed by this song and that you can honestly sing the words.

Easter Sunday, part 3

Today just kept getting better and better. The ironic thing is I was having a really bad day. I didn't want to go to church this morning or tonight, but I'm so glad I went to both services! I mentioned in my previous post about the wonderful service this morning, but I failed to mention that the auditorium was packed. I heard tonight that there were over 430 there this morning! Praise God!

Tonight, the sign team did a wonderful job. I wish I had gotten pictures of them, but I forgot I had my camera with me. I did remember my camera when the youth group did their skit, though. Below are pictures of that and one picture of the youth group as they sang "Glorious Day" at the end of the service.

Easter Sunday, part 2

Wow! What a wonderful Easter service at my church! Jesus was magnified, and the Gospel was preached. The King's Kids Choir sang and blessed us all. I love it when the children get up and sing praises to God! Then, the adult choir presented the Easter cantata "In The Presence Of Jehovah". The songs were so powerful and moving, I was fighting back tears at the end of it. Our pastor shared the Gospel and offered the opportunity for anyone present who was not a Christian to come to Jesus today and accept Him as Savior. I thank God for my church!

Easter Sunday, part 1

Pictures with the Easter Bunny and egg hunts are fun for children, and everyone looks so nice in their new Easter outfits. But, let's not forget the what Easter is all about. Jesus, the Son of God came from Heaven to die a terrible death so that we can have everlasting live. Then, He did what no one else could ever do; He rose from the dead and lives now to make intercession for us. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Here is a beautiful song that is perfect for Easter. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

This Old House

About 11 years ago, a sweet friend made a compilation of music for me, and this song was included. I thrive on sad songs, so this one instantly became a favorite. It played on my ipod last night, and I decided to share it here.

He Wants It All

I heard this song for the first time on the radio yesterday, and it went right along with what my daily Bible studies have been about lately. Jesus gave us His all when he came to earth to give His life for us. He's not asking for too much when He asks for our all.

HE WANTS IT ALL

There's a voice that cries out in the silence,

Searching for heart that will love Him,

Longing for child that will give Him their all,

Give it all, He wants it all.

There's a God that walks over the earth,

He's searching for heart that is desperate,

And longing for child that will give Him their all,

Give it all, He wants it all,

And He says, love Me, love Me with your whole heart

He wants it all today.

Serve Me, serve Me with your life now

He wants it all today.

Bow down, let go of your idols

He wants it all today (x4)

There's a God that walks over the earth,

He's searching for heart that is desperate,

Longing for child that will give Him their all,

Give it all, He wants it all

And He says, love Me, love Me with your whole heart

He wants it all today.

Serve Me, serve Me with your life now

He wants it all today.

Bow down, let go of your idols

He wants it all today (x4)

Oh oh oh, all of you, more of you

Wants it all today (whole thing x3)

He wants it all today, He wants it all today

So give it all.

There's a voice that cries out in the silence,

Searching for heart that will love Him,

Longing for child that will give Him their all,

Give it all, He wants it all.

Where Is Love?

I like reading classic novels. It must be my inner librarian I inherited from my mom. One of my favorite classic authors is Charles Dickens. His novel A Tale of Two Cities is my favorite, but a close second is Oliver Twist. I love the musical "Oliver!" based on the novel. In one sad part of the movie, Oliver, locked in a cellar and looking out a window, sings this song in his sweet, childish voice. Every time I watch the movie, I cry at that part. For some reason today, that song came to mind, and I just had to share it.

What Is Love?

Some people throw that word around so freely. They love everything from their morning coffee to the way their socks feel on their feet. I understand, somewhat, since I tend to have extreme emotions and rarely feel neutral about anything. But, when it comes to loving people, what does that entail? C.S. Lewis said, "Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained." I think that pretty much sums it up. Love should be about making the other person's life better, not about what that person can do to better your life.

With this being the week before Easter, it seems more than appropriate to use the love of God as an example. Jesus left the splendors of Heaven to come here with the intent to die for us. His love was/is all about making our lives (and even more our afterlife) better. He wasn't concerned about the hardships His decisions made for Himself. He went so far as to give up His life so that we might live forever.

Is there anyone you would die for? That is true love. There are only two people on earth that I would die for, and I love them both enough to sacrifice my own comfort, happiness, even my life to see that their lives are the best they can be. My happiness comes when I see they are happy in their lives.

E. H. Ministry

At my church, we have E.H. Ministry on Tuesday evenings. I usually have to work on Tuesday evenings, so Sam and I haven't been able to be involved in E.H. Well, today, I worked 7am to 4pm, so we got to go tonight. E.H. stands for Every House, and it's a visitation program. There is a meal beforehand, and then teams go out visiting different categories of people. Tonight, I went out with Michelle Cross and three kids from the youth group (Mackenzi, Mandie, and Mason), and we visited young people who either have visited our church or who attend our church but do not come for Sunday school. Sam went out with the pastor's wife and some other kids, and they visited children who have come to Awana. We both had a great time and can't wait to go again next week since I don't work next Tuesday. Yay!

Busy Days

Whew! The past week or so has been so busy! I finally got to rest some yesterday. Actually, I collapsed yesterday!

Thursday evening, Sam left for New York City with his high school band. I had requested to be off work Friday and Saturday so I could have a little time to myself and get some much-needed housework done. Well, not only was my time off request rejected, I was scheduled full 8-hour shifts both days. And, I worked my tail off both days! It was two days full of moving merchandise from one place to another, setting up displays, etc. By the time Sunday got here, I hurt so bad all over that I couldn't move. I took some pain relievers and stayed in bed, moaning, all day!

In my "spare time" the past couple weeks, I've been working on a new business project. A college friend and I, along with his brother and sister, are hoping to get a new business going; and we're hoping it will be up and operational by the end of this month. I've been working on the website, a blog, and a facebook presence. I'm hoping some of that will be completed by this weekend. There's a lot of work going into this, but it has potential to be a viable venture.

So, now, on top of body aches and pains, my head also hurts from all this thinking and staring at the computer screen. I'm going to get off here for the evening and give my eyes and brain a break. Have a good week ya'll!

Blessings

Several of my friends have posted this song on their facebook pages, and I finally decided to listen to it today. Wow! Just what I needed to hear today.

Glorious Day

I love this new take on the old hymn "One Day". The hymn has always been one of my favorites, and when I heard this new version of it, I loved it immediately.

I Love My Church!

Yesterday was a wonderful day in the Lord at Charity Baptist Church. Our pastor preached the Word of God unashamedly. I'm so thankful that I have a pastor who is not afraid of the opinions of men but steadfastly preaches the Word of God without apology.

In the morning service, we had the largest crowd ever for a non-Easter Sunday. Praise God for what He is doing at Charity Baptist Church and in Blountville, TN!!

I was the special singer yesterday, for my first time at this church. (Figures it would be on a Sunday with an unusually large attendance!) I am typically stricken with intense stage fright, but yesterday, God calmed my nerves and helped me to just sing praise to Him.

If you live in the Tri-Cities, you should come visit us sometime. I guarantee you won't find a more loving church in this area! I'll be looking for you!!

Strong Enough

 Lately, I've been going through a lot of trials. I understand why some have come along, but I can't see the purpose in others. I'm so weak and unable to go through all this alone. My wonderful friend Beth recommended this song to me today, and it is just what I needed to hear. When I'm weak, Jesus is strong enough to get me through. What a blessing!

STRONG ENOUGH

You must

You must think I'm strong

To give me what I'm going through

Well, forgive me

Forgive me if I'm wrong

But this looks like more than I can do

On my own

I know I'm not strong enough to be

everything that I'm supposed to be

I give up

I'm not strong enough

Hands of mercy won't you cover me

Lord right now I'm asking you to be

Strong enough

Strong enough

For the both of us

Well, maybe

Maybe that's the point

To reach the point of giving up

Cause when I'm finally

Finally at rock bottom

Well, that's when I start looking up

And reaching out

I know I'm not strong enough to be

Everything that I'm supposed to be

I give up

I'm not strong enough

Hands of mercy won't you cover me

Lord right now I'm asking you to be

Strong enough

Strong enough

Cause I'm broken

Down to nothing

But I'm still holding on to the one thing

You are God

and you are strong

When I am weak

I can do all things

Through Christ who gives me strength

And I don't have to be

Strong enough

Strong enough

I can do all things

Through Christ who gives me strength

And I don't have to be

Strong enough

Strong enough

Oh, yeah

I know I'm not strong enough to be

Everything that I'm supposed to be

I give up

I'm not strong enough

Hands of mercy won't you cover me

Lord right now I'm asking you to be

Strong enough

Strong enough

Strong enough

Practice What You Preach

This week, I've experienced how hard that can be. Last Thursday night, I stood before the ladies group at my church as the speaker at our monthly meeting. My topic was "Why Does God Allow Bad Things To Happen To His Children?" I told a personal story and at the end, gave several answers based on my own experience.

Tuesday was such a bad day, and yesterday wasn't much better. I found myself wondering why those bad things were happening to me, and I had to remind myself of the lesson I had given just a few days earlier. Honestly, all I want to do right now is sit around and mope and feel sorry for myself. But, maybe I'm being tested by God to see if I really believe what I taught. The last line of my lesson was: "Remember that God is always good and will not allow us to be tried without a reason." Now, I just need to apply that to what it is going on in my life this week.

Sleep Texting

Sam has always had vivid, disturbing dreams. Even as an infant, he would cry out in his sleep, and his pediatrician said he was having nightmares. All his life, he has cried out in his sleep, had conversations with me in his sleep, sleepwalked, etc. Last night, he did something he has never done before. He sent me a text in his sleep! He was dreaming that I was talking to a man with a towel on his head, and Sam had a bad feeling about him and wanted to warn me.

My Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Yesterday ended up being an awful day. It started out pretty good. I got a lot done around the house while Sam was at school.

I had to be at work at 5pm, and I had to stop at Scott's house on the way to get clean work clothes which I had washed there. When I pulled into his road, an impatient driver behind me turned onto that road as well. Apparently, I didn't get off the road quickly enough to suit him, and he literally ran me off the road, causing me to hit a car parked in front of Scott's house. The car I hit belongs to one of Scott's friends. It's a registered antique, a 280Z, that Scott is doing some work on. Now it needs more work. Thankfully, all it needs is a front bumper. The bumper got caught in the side of my car and scraped all down the side, starting around the middle of the passenger door and extending to the back wheel. Looks like my car will need a new door, rear panel, and rim. Of course, the person who ran me off the road was in too big a hurry to stop. It was all such confusion at the time of the wreck, that I'm not quite certain if he hit me or not. My back bumper is scratched up, but it's not dented.

Here's a picture of the damage to the rear panel:



As soon as I got my car unattached from the Z, I got out to survey the damage. At that time, I didn't think I had sustained any personal injury, so I went on to work. Once I got to work and started walking around, I realized that I had hurt my left knee. By the time I got off work at 9:30, it was swollen and hurting pretty badly. When I got home, I put ice on it and slept with it propped up on a big pillow. The swelling was down this morning, but the pain is worse. I'm thinking I might have to have it checked out.

As if that wasn't enough for one day, when I got to work, I found out that I didn't get the position I interviewed for last week. I was qualified, but apparently someone else had more experience. I really needed that job!

Today, I'm going to rest as much as possible, and keep my knee propped up. Hopefully today will be a better day.

Gas Experience

I had quite the experience at the gas station this morning. I filled up at Kroger, since I do my grocery shopping there and earn fuel points. I had a debit card to pay with, but I chose to pay at the window since the debit card company will put a hold of $75 on any gas purchases at the pump. After I pumped my gas and went to the window to pay, the attendant informed me that the debit/credit card system was down, and I'd have to pay with cash. I didn't have any cash. I told him that if there had been a sign on the pump, I would have gone somewhere else where I could use my card. He said that since I selected to pay at the window, he assumed I was paying with cash. At one point, he informed me that I needed to either pay him, or he was going to call the cops. I let him know very adamantly that it was NOT my fault, and that he needed to either run my card or let me have my gas for free. (I knew THAT wasn't going to happen!) He called a couple different managers and finally told me I could go to the bank across the street and get cash out of the ATM and come back and pay. He made sure he wrote down my tag number first, just in case I didn't come back. I told him the ATM would charge me $3, and that wasn't fair. So, the manager told him he could knock the $3 off my total to reimburse me. So, that's what I did. What a hassle!! I still think they should have let me have my gas for free since it was such an ordeal.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

If my mom were alive, she would be 70 today. I still love her and miss her terribly. She was the greatest mom ever and a wonderful example of a Christian lady.

Happy Birthday, Mom!!!

More Than Words Can Say