The Glory and the Lifter of Mine Head

For the second time in less than six months one of my mom’s friends has received a scary diagnosis. Because this is fresh and I don’t want to be insensitive I will simply ask for prayer for this person. There is the diagnosis but next comes what stage? how far along? what type of cancer is it?

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I have to be honest that having two out of six of my mom’s friends being diagnosed with life threatening conditions is SCAREY…my life has been fairly void of cancers, and sickness. Before my father’s funeral six years ago I had been to one…and since I’ve been to none. I just can’t imagine my mom getting sick and I can’t imagine how she feels having friends the same age as her getting this news.

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So the song running through my head last night was ‘Thou, Oh Lord’. In my old church I was in the rather large and talented choir and we would sing this song and it was always my favorite. Please take some time and enjoy, close your eyes and be thankful for the…

GLORY

& the

LIFTER of our heads

*Thou, Oh Lord *
Many are they increased that troubled me
Many are they that rise up against me
Many there be which say of my soul
There is no help for him in God

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But thou, oh Lord are a shield for me
My glory and the lifter of my head
Thou, oh Lord are shield for me
My glory and the lifter of my head
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I cried unto the Lord with my voice
And he heard me out of His holy hill
I laid me down and slept and awaked
For the Lord sustained, for he sustained me

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Thou, oh Lord are a shield for me
My glory and the lifter of my head
Thou, oh Lord are shield for me
My glory and the lifter of my head

Exposed

Before I get to the real reason for this post let me say that I can’t believe only one person has entered my giveaway…are my mattes not desirable? Hmmmm….so get on over, or rather scroll on down and enter….

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K…Back to business…

I’m feeling lead to start a support group.

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Specifically a depression/anxiety support group.

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I have been struggling to be a part of ANYthing the past six months. Calling a friend for lunch or to say HI has become paralyzing. I am incapable of making eye contact with anyone and be it true or not (I am convinced I have done something to make) no one interested in anything in my life….and I don’t think I have done anything wrong or offensive I am just boring. I see everyone busy with the task of living their life and I am NOT…I am NOT living my life, and I’m not fitting into theirs.

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Intentionality…people who struggle with depression need people to be intentional about connecting with them. I need people need to be intentional about connecting to me. I need to be needed by others. I wish I could adequately put into words how hard it is, and how easy it is to get sucked in...deep.

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A week ago after Wednesday night church I approached my associate pastor. I told him my idea because I’m attempting to be obedient even when I’m unsure. Surprisingly he perked a bit and gave me information of someone in the church who he said would really like to talk to me about this subject.

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It has been a couple of days of trying to get a hold of each other but I am confident when I do speak to this person something is going to happen…a group of support will probably be formed and maybe, just maybe…I will crawl out from under the safety of my flannel sheets, and open my black-out curtains.

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I am thinking about calling this group EXPOSED…I’m a little apprehensive because it could connote well…something other than support….but that is all I can think of…all I can think of is how I need to be exposed…how this monster named ‘depression’ needs to be exposed for the jerk that he is…how being exposed is the only way he will be defeated...being exposed is the only way others are going to understand how complex this deasise is…and how a group is desperately needed to expose the truth, to take the myths away, to provide a safe haven, and to empower those who don’t know where to turn.

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I feel a pretty big sense of responsibility. A sense of responsibility to educate because I was lucky to have taken six weeks OUT of my life so that I can be back IN life. Were those six weeks a cure? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Those six weeks were a leveling period…a time for my meds to be leveled, a time for intense internal challenging, a time to incredibly broken, and a time for being put back together…

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I just keep forgetting the maintenance that is involved, so this forming of a group of support is a selfish pursuit…and well I’m alright with that…

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Please join me in prayer that I am being obedient to what God is leading…

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Also, let me know how you feel about the name.

Dignity

When God speaks we should listen.

The Holy Spirit nudges…you go about to meet a need.

Simple? Yes.
Easy to ignore? Absolutely.

Let me give you a reason to listen to that sometimes inaudible voice and act on its behalf.

Two weeks ago I was in the laundry room, probably doing some laundry, and a new family from church popped into my head. Just as quickly a sense of urgency captured my heart, and I went to work.

I went to work, putting together a basket of things that I hoped they needed, hoped they would enjoy.

I got excited, I had fun.

These ‘things’ came from the stash built since having started couponing over six months ago. This smart shopping allowed me to stuff a large basket with food, deodorant, razors, shampoo, conditioner, face wash, magazines, nail polish, shirts, crayons, coloring books, candles…man was it heavy.

Then I hole punched a bird pictured I printed a while ago

and used some twine to tie it to the handles.

After a few days of trying to figure out where they lived I was able to deliver my surprise. I was nervous. My intention was to not be known as the maker of the basket, but because they were sick and weren’t at church I was unable to remain anonymous. Before work on a Monday I went to their apartment and fumbled through explaining that God had brought them to my mind and why Matthew 6:26 was my favorite verse.

To say I was out of my comfort zone would be an understatement. While I am failing spectacularly at conveying this story…I am actually much more confident in my writing, and oddly…a lot more confident in my public speaking skills than my one-on-one speaking skills.

A while later when I saw this family at church the mom told me how much the family enjoyed the basket. She told of the girls fighting over the toys and the shirts fitting her oldest girl nicely. She said how you wouldn’t think of it but having those things give a sense of normalcy. She had a look in her eyes that I can only describe as dignity. To receive that basket of our overflow helped restore some normalcy to their lives.

To give that basket out of our overflow helped me realize the importance of listening to the Holy Spirit when he speaks. So whether it is praying for that person that popped into your head or stopping to meet a need your not even sure is there let’s all listen…let’s be generous…and above all else let’s be...

OBEDIENT!

200th post celebration and a Giveaway!

I am now at 202 posts in my short but sweet blog career. Thought I'd celebrate with a giveaway...

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This giveaway the same as the others...
A custom 8x10 matte to hold a 5x7 photo of your choice in the colors of your choosing.

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Some samples of previous winners...

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just leave me a comment with your biggest

pet peeve

and your in it to win it!
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of course if you'd like to follow my blog I'd be delighted!

(giveaway to end Novemeber 20th winner to be choosen by random.org)

Somber

Either I never paid enough attention to the news

OR

The world has gone MAD with a capital CRAZY!

The past couple of months EVERY single day, sometimes twice, there is another story on the news about something…tragic.

Here’s a sampling to what I am referring;

* stepfather kills stepdaughter, hides her body and then reports her missing

* moms gives her beautiful baby away, then reports her missing…five days later she is found hidden her the bed of the babysitter (after an intensive search) * massacre on huge army base

* local boy commits suicide after fight with father

* 12 women's bodies found at the home of a serial rapist/killer

* woman found naked behind a grocery store

* kidnapped woman found (with two children) after a lot of years in a backyard fortress of some kind…the kicker? The house she was found was in a residential area.

* man attacked on the head with a hammer by his roommate, 89 stiches and broken arm, all because he would not give him 90 dollars

I am sure I could go on and on.

Just thought I’d ask…has anyone else noticed things getting a bit unbelievable, and wacky? It is kinda starting to get to me.

Tenacity

The tenacity of those that own this car is amazing.

A couple of months ago bright neon signs started to litter this local family’s home.

It seemed like everyday a new sign would pop up, always on bright poster board and, always entertaining. From what I understand they hired the company Rebath to come in and do a one day redo of their bathroom that turned into SEVEN months.

Last week I drove by the house (it happens to be on the main road) and was surprised to see ONE lonely sign that stated:

“Finally I believe justice has been served”

I would love to know the outcome.

They made sure you could see the signs from every angle.

They sure did what they felt was necessary to get bad service fixed…I’m glad they got a result they could live with because, I am SURE that they would have signs up there until kingdom comes if they didn’t get some kind of satisfaction. How far would you go to satisfiy a wrong done to you by "the man"?

Amy and Alaythia

A couple of weeks ago I got to see an old and special to my heart friend and meet a new little one to hold onto my heart.

Amy and Alaythia (which I believe is Greek for truth)

I think she looked like a cute ladybug that day so I’m thinking I might just start calling her my little ladybug permanently.

The last two pictures were take without the flash as to not wake the baby and they came out all yellow…but you gotta love the pink furry crocs and and the ‘my first doll’ baby doll.

For Christmas Miss Alaythia will be receiving a plush “my first purse” complete with a purse, cell phone, lipstick, and credit card. Only $5.00 from LTD, can’t beat that!

http://www.ltdcommodities.com/home/catalog/cat_item_pg.asp?G=718&P=436&Rec=1&Ntt=my+first+purse&N=37&Nao=0&R=463542-1PRS---1

I’ll end with a cute video…enjoy…

Computer

I would like to introduce you to my laptop…

chameleon…Cammy for short…chameleon because she is going to change her shell on my whim.

The other day I wend to the dollar tree in search of stickers, the kind that won’t leave sticky when your done and came across these hilarious toilet seat stickers…aren’t they GREAT!

For the most part I am in like with my Personal Computer…

It’s a bit slow and…

The WI-FI doesn’t work as well as I thought it would so I can’t get the internet at work (which I had been super excited about) and at home it is a low signal even when I am in the same room as the router. Yesterday I went to the parking lot of McDonald's and nothing…but my cell phone WIFI picks their free WI-FI up. I’m gonna have to investigate to see if there is something I can do to help it out…(it was less than a 1/3 of the cost of a new computer so I am NOT complaining).

I do have to say that;

*I love being able to write blog posts on Windows Live Writer when I am at work. I will defiantly be posting more (aren’t you excited?)

*I can do my budget (or what I call a budget) on my long nights at work.

*I can type up E-mails to better keep in touch with friends.

and

*I can journal…typing seems to make it easier…LOVE the backspace button. I am too OCD for writing, I like it to look nice and by the end of three pages I can get a little sloppy.

Etcetera, Etcetera, Etcetera…

I love how this toilet seat sticker transformed into a beautiful laptop cover…I didn’t notice until now that the printer and mouse portals match. How fun! I might have to look through my scrapbook stickers and find a word to stick on there.

Hope you enjoyed meeting Cammy. You will be seeing her efforts often.

Nothing Better

There ain’t nothing better…

than a perfectly browned grilled cheese sandwich!

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Do you know….that it is seriously hard to take a good picture of a grilled cheese sandwich? I tried and tried to no avail…so this picture is courtesy of a Google image search.

Tour of Laundry Room & Meet the Cats!

Thought I’d share my favorite new ‘outside the box’ contraption

We had a rolling cart to hang clothes on and I hated how much room it too up.

SO…

 

On a whim I bought a 2.00 set of plant hangers, found a bar, hung the hangers the length of the bar apart and voilà, our own personal clothing rack that doesn’t take up a TON of room…I’m SUPER happy with it.

 

Here's Whitey asking for some lovin’

(she looks dingy doesn’t she…maybe she just couldn’t stay white forever)

We took her to the vet this week for her bi-yearly diabetic check.

They doubled her dosage of insulin, and said she had lost three pounds.

She is 11 years old…not sure how many more years we will have her.

She basically lives her life on the dresser snuggled on her purple bath mat.

Her favorite pastime is sneaking into the kitchen and

finding the ONE thing you may have accidently left out to make her snack.

She is so sneaky, but always gets caught when something drops.

She also likes to sneak into the dining room table and become the center piece.

It is freaky to walk in there and see a living center piece on the table.

I think she likes the sun that comes in through the walls of windows,

SO CUTE

I love finding the cats in random places…they make me smile.

 

While we are in the laundry room, lets take a tour…

  Sheer white and red curtains with some hearts and stars clothes pinned to the top. We have yet to figure out whey there are three outlets so close together…I’m pretty sure they are there to drive me nuts!

Cute sign we got at a flea market (made by men with developmental disabilities) with a heart and star hanging from the ends.

My favorite dumpster find EVER, the black hutch, perfecting for organizing all those laundry supplies. We have been making our own laundry detergent for over six months and has been great. It is cheap, and easy to do. If any one is interested let me know and I can find the recipe for you. It sure is nice to take that expense off your shopping trip list…

 

Oh, here's Whitey following me around….

Oh, wait there is Star (she is my cat, and whitey sister)

Star is fat so she can’t jump to the places whitey can,

I’m pretty sure they want a treat...since I had just given’ them an ample tasting of their treats

…they are just being greedy now!

In the living room…

It’s a Little Bit…

 

Tucked-in snuggly warm…

 

making cute sounds while she sleeps.

For some reason in the winter I love to cover her and tuck her in. She seems to love being nestled warmly, be it under the covers pressed up against your legs, lost in the blanket on the couch, or wrapped up in her cute bed and fleece throws…

She MIGHT be spoiled…

...Just MAYbe…

I CAN’T help myself!