My Thoughts after Christmas!

A Family Christmas

We had a wonderful couple of days of Christmas celebrating.  We spent Christmas Eve in Denton with my mom and it was perfect!  There was about 21 of us.  We had a good time, and even though it was raining and cold, we stayed dry and warm.  There was lots of love in the room.  (Found out today that there will be a new baby in this family next year)


We spent Christmas day at my mother in laws and a good time was had by all I think.  I think the final count was some where around 54 1/3 (there should be a new baby in this family next Christmas, too), but not everyone was there. 


There was plenty of food at both places and life was good.  We were the first ones to my mother in laws, and the second or third to arrive at my mom's.  My niece Misty, was there for the day from the halfway house where she is finishing up her rehab.  I am so very proud of her.  She is turning her life around and is serious about not messing up.  I love her a bunch. 

Thoughts of the Future

Norman and I have been praying about what direction God wants us to go and what we need to do.  We have talked of moving to Gunter, TX and living and working on the ranch there with my family, sisters and mom to be specific.  We are still waiting for confirmation of that, and as I've been praying today and reading different things that have come by way of email and blogs that I follow, I'm not sure that is going to be right for us.  Although it would help in lots of ways, just not feeling a 100% about it.  I know that all will be revealed when the time comes. 


What else does the future hold?  No one really knows.  We are not promised our next breath, so how can we really know what God has in store.  We know only that He will never forsake us and that He is always with us, even when we are places that we shouldn't be. But that is a post for my other blog.  


My dreams of dogs and being a published writer, well I don't know if this is the year or not.  Have I given up on those dreams, definitely not, but just waiting for the right sign that I need to pursue one or the other or both.  My teaching degree?  Well I'm still working on that as well. 


Is there anything that I know for sure will happen this next year, yes, I will continue to strive to be the best Christian I can be, finish my recovery steps, study, go to school, and do my best as a mother and a wife.  Is there anything else I want to happen?  Well yes, I would like to find a better place to live, but if it takes a while, I will survive. 


May you all have a great week!  God Bless!

Your Dreams

I am a Facebook user and over the last week or so there have been some people who have posted a status similar to "Never give up or walk away from a dream that you can't go a day without thinking about."  Do dreams have deadlines?  Only if we set them up to have one.  There are five things or dreams I still want to accomplish before I leave this world:

1) To have a place for my husband and I to call our own and grow old together.

2) To be a published author.

3) To train dogs to help people whether that is as therapy dogs, or service dogs of some kind like for the hearing impaired, or just as a companion.

4) To finish recovery and to help others through the process.

5) To be the best I can be for God, so that other people come to know Him as their Savior, and Lord.

I work on all five of these almost more than once a day or more than a daily basis if that is possible.  I know that I can accomplish my dreams and I will never give them up.  It is not for recognition, fame or fortune.  It is because it is something I feel strongly about.  There are just some things in this life that cause us or move us emotionally, physically and spiritually.  These are mine.  Just because it is taking longer than you wanted or planned does not mean you give it up.  We all experience setbacks.  Remember that God answers prayers and take cares of all our needs.  Remember it is in His time frame, not ours.  Maybe instead of giving up - it is time to examine your heart - Get it right with God.  Stop trying to "Fix" it or people.  Ask God to "fix" you or help you and then stand Firm in your Faith.

With all my love, I say these things.  I know that some of you are having a difficult time.  God gave me this yesterday and I knew I had to share it with everyone.  Have a God Filled Day!  Never Give Up.  God is there waiting for you to ask Him for whatever your needs are and to thank Him for being your Lord and Savior.  And if you haven't asked Him into your heart, maybe now is the time.
Love, L

25 Random Things You Might Not Know

Okay I have a friend who is having issues with her creative juices today and she did a random post of 25 things and wanted it to continue... So here are mine..

1. At my highest weight, I weigh 322 pounds.

2. I am a clean drug addict...

3. I am trying to quit drinking.

4. I had a child out of wedlock

5. I'm tired of worrying what other people think

6. I like romance novels

7. I love vampires

8. I don't like Barney or Sponge Bob and I don't have kids little enough to watch them, but my grown kids watch cartoons. (I don't think they watch Barney)

9. I pray for my daughter and son to have a baby

10. I met my husband on match.com

11. I have two tattoos and I'm not ashamed of them, and want to add to one I already have.

12. I accepted Christ at the age of 12.

13. I've walked away several times from church

14. I want to live some place warm

15. I suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and lately it is causing me to have Anxiety attacks.

16. I want a berm house with a deck and grill patio/swimming pool on the topside.

17. I want to have more dogs

18. I always want my husband to be in love with me, and me with him.

19. I have anger issues with slow people. (Not mentally slow)

20. I started a new internet business and pray for success. As part of that, I'm making home made dog treats, all natural and selling them locally.

21. I've had 9 surgeries since I was 7 or 8, and plan one more before all is said and done.

22. I want to be more spiritually than I am, but don't think I'll ever get there.

23. God loves me and I love him, and nothing else should matter. Right?

24. Debt is eating us alive.

25. I want to swim with sharks off the great barrier reef.

Okay not sure that is what she intended, but there are my 25 random facts. If you have a blog, list your 25 random facts and let me know so I can go read.

What Inspires me?

There are many things that inspire me as well as many people. My mother has always inspired me to follow my dreams. My sisters say that writing is my gift. My husband has encouraged me and has inspired me to keep writing stories and on all of my blogs. My husband, mother and my sisters, I think all read my blogs. I have four that I maintain and it is those times when I can step back and really think, escape or share my beliefs, hopes, dreams and my imagination. However, there are many other things that inspire me. Things like hearing someone say something funny, sad or profound. Seeing the break of day, a night sky full of stars, the birth of a puppy, or a newborns cry, these things inspire me as well. Snowing falling, rain an sun streaming through threes these are all God's handy work and are inspiring. Most of the time my inspiration comes from the way I feel about a person, a particular situation or something that has happened in my life. It sometimes comes from the need to know that my writing my possibly help some one else over come a hurdle in their life. My dreams have inspired me for years as well as the goals I set for myself. There have been times in the last year that I felt I should give up, and I recently wrote about it. A very good friend told me not to give up, to be strong. So that is what I'm doing while I wait for my next inspiration. May God Bless you all. L

Dreams.... To Follow or Give Up

Some times it seems that I'm being given signs to keep believing that one day I'll have my dream, and then there are days when I think it is useless and just to give up. How do you know when it is time to let it go?? Is it a feeling? Are there definite signs??? Do I keep pushing? I'm not sure any more. I'm 47 years old and I think it is time that I redefine what is important to me. I love animals but I know that my husband does not share my enthusiasm for them. I love writing, but in the last few months I've had signs that maybe it is not to be... I finished my book Scattered Thoughts and I really would like to publish it. Even if I self-published it would be a goal that I accomplished this year. However, I know there are some things that would hurt people if I published it, and that is not something I want to do. Even though there are no names, of people directly it would make hard feelings and there are already enough of those I feel like some times. I don't know how many times in the last few months that I've been told I need to let go of the anger, and the funny thing is I'm not angry. I've been told I'm bitter. I don't see it... I've been told I'm depressed.. maybe. I've lost a lot of good friends since I quit corporate America. I don't have any close friends and I was even told that was because I push people away. Maybe? So when do you know to call it quits? When do you decide it is time to let those things go, and just try to make it in the world? Maybe it is time to go some place new and start over? Maybe I am a bitter angry person and that is why I can't see the things I need to see. I guess I'm just questioning things. I'm having a hard time staying focused on the present, because the future is so unsure. I just don't know....