A Driving Need

I am looking forward to the things that are in store for us next year.  I'm looking forward to a house in a new town, making new friends, and just living our life together.  I'm looking forward to having grandchildren.  I'm looking forward to having beagles again.  However, with everything I'm looking forward to I have a driving need to complete unfinished things and get rid of it before we move. 

What things you might ask?  Well I have at least 5 story lines at different levels that I want to finish.  I have three books, a short story, and a collection of thoughts that I would like to see get typed and finished and hopefully published.  I have several craft things that I would like to get finished and put away and in some cases give away to friends. 

I am also taking intro to algebra which I would like to get finished in January and I want to start pre-calculus and get it finished in no more than three months.  If I am able to get that accomplished, then I can enroll in school and start getting my teaching degree. 

It sounds like a lot, but I do know that I can get this accomplished.  I just have to stay focused and rely on God to give me the energy and strength to get this all done.  I like having things completed and put away.  I like it when we are able to close a chapter, and start a new one and that is what I feel like we are doing.  Closing the old chapter.  Starting the new chapter.  I know it will be difficult for us, but those that are close to us are already talking about coming to visit.  We will have room for a guest or two in the new house.  Everyone will be welcome that wants to come visit.  We will still make the trips for family reunions and Christmas Day with his family.  The rest of the year will be in God's hands and so will our lives. 

God Bless you all!  Love, L

A Couple of Thoughts I wanted to Share

First Thought

My Mom was down here this last week and I got to visit and have coffee with her.  I really miss that!  Hopefully in the next year I will be where I can do that on a regular basis.  My Mom, Julia or Jude, as she has been known most of her life, stayed with my daughter Caity.  That is my daughter's nickname.  Her full name is Lauren Brianna Caitlyn Shipley Woods.  She will get upset when she reads this because if i call her Caitlyn, she will tell me that is not her name, but it is because that is what I had put on her birth certificate. 


Okay so I went off on a tangent, but I'm back.  Anyway, we are going to Denton on Christmas Eve to be with my family.  We drew names this year between the adults except for my mom.  That way, we buy for one person, plus our kids, and then of course my mom.  I wasn't sure I like the idea at first, but it works good and thank God because we cannot afford to buy gifts for everyone nor do I have time to make gifts for everyone, although I am trying, and I don't have to feel guilty for not being able to get family gifts. 

I'm have been married for almost five years and I'm not sure what the Christmas present program is at my in laws.  We have been trying to buy for my Mother in law and Step Father in law, and then we were buying for his siblings, and his kids.  That was not possible last year, nor will it be this year.  Parents are bought for no matter what because without them, there would be no us.  So I am trying to decide what to get our parents.  I have a few thought, but have not fully decided.   I still have a couple of weeks, right????

Second Thought

My favorite things in life are animals, writing, and teaching.  My goal for this coming year is to do all of that and I think it is definitely foreseeable.  My sister, Ann or Julia, or I use to call her Sissy, but she made me stop after I started to school, is about to see her dream come true.  You can read about it at http://www.rememberwhenranch.com/.  She has a place for Norman and I if we want it.  I do without a doubt.  We will have a house of our own, and work if we want it.  I know this is a good step for us.  We will have to move to Gunter, Texas, but I will be close to my Mom, and a lot closer to my daughter and son in law who are moving to Keller or that general area.   Although my husband has said he will move, I feel like he is holding back.  We love each other and I just want us to be happy, not stressed over money or work.  He can work on the ranch there or he can continue to do siding if he wants.  But it would be a place where we don't have to worry about paying rent, or utilities or buying groceries or having gas money.  I have been praying for God to show us the direction we need to go, and I think this is it.  Now I need to pray that He will show my husband as well.  God Bless you all

Dixie Dog Treats Recipe Book

Hey everyone, Just want to make another post about the recipe book that is for sale to make your dog treats.  There is nothing harmful in them and they make great training tools. 

You can make mini muffins or you can make biscuit type treats either one.  The information is in the download pdf document on how to do both, plus a couple of extras.  I've been making mini muffins the last month or two and on Sunday made 68 mini muffins. 

I use them at night to put them in their crates.  Usually all I need to say is "Biscuits" and they will both go to their crates and wait.  The big dog, Sioux, goes to her bed and waits.  It's all good! 

The cost of the book is $5.95 and you can pay with credit card or your pay pal account or your debit card if it has a MasterCard or Visa logo.  I have a few customers whose dogs absolutely love them. 

This is a great and easy way to give your dog something special, and you don't have to go pay mega bucks for dog biscuits at the store.  Give your dog the present that will keep on giving!  Buy the recipe book today!

Click below!

Home made Hot Pads/Pot Holders and Scarves!!!

Hey everyone,

I am currently making home made hot pads and pot holders as gifts.  You get two round hot pads and one square pot holder for $7.00 + shipping which should be 4.95 for priority shipping.  I'm posting pictures.  I am also making scarves but have not finished the first one but will post a picture as soon as possible.  Scarves are going to be 7.50 and are 63" approx long and about 4 to 6 inches wide. 

If you want hot pads/pot holders email me at laurasfarnsworth@msn.com and you will be able to pay by MasterCard/visa or with your pay pal account if you have one.  I will invoice you through pay pal once I receive your email and will email you the day before they ship. 

Thanks for all your support by reading my blogs and visiting my sites.  May God Bless You all during this Christmas season!  Here are some pictures.

They are all tied with white but the other color can be most anything.  Thanks!

The Future

We cannot predict the future, and the choices we make in life shape our destiny.  God however is in control of our lives, if you are a child of God that is....  I have been praying for Him to show us which direction to take and what we need to do.  I don't know if this is a sign from God or not, but here is what has happened. My daughter and son in law will be moving after the first of the year to the general area of Keller, Texas.  That is a good 2.5 to 3 hours away.  I don't want to be that far from my daughter, so I have started looking for jobs in that area. 

Yesterday, I came across a website with employment opportunities and they are headquartered in Southlake.  That is not very far from Keller and a heck of a lot closer to Denton than I currently am, and that is where my family is at this time.  With the prospect of grand babies in the next year or so, I've decided to apply for the job.  I told my husband last night, and he said okay.  We have been talking lately about both of us finding jobs that are regular and where they are not contingent on good weather and sunshine.  He has stated once of twice about going back to work in the grocery business.  I told him to do whatever makes him happy and not to worry about anything else.  It is time we thought of ourselves and what will make us happy in the long run. 

We would be leaving behind other family, friends from church and lots of memories, but we would be gaining a new outlook and chance at a life together and not having to worry all the time about money or asking for help from family, who is always there when I need them.  (Thanks Raven and Caity)  Love you both! 

However time will tell with everything, and if that is not the direction I'm sure God will give us a sign. 
Hope you all have a God Filled, and Blessed Day!  Please pray for my job opportunity.  It is something I could be happy with for a long time, and it will give me a chance to complete my schooling as well.  Love, L.

My laptop is repaired!!!!!!!

Okay I know it is lame but we have been sharing  a computer for probably almost a month, which is not a big deal when we are both working.  But if he doesn't have any work then he is here at home when I get home from work and alas we both can't get on the computer at the same time.  So he took the computers to see if they could be repaired.  Thanks Honey!  I love you with all my heart!  (My laptop was fixable)

Anyway, his desktop computer is dead.  He's genealogy database was on it so now it is time to rebuild the data base and this time back it up to a disk.  I'm writing again since I'm not working at the school any longer and so far so good.  I should be able to make at least 125 a week, once I get into the swing of things.  I made about 32 in four hours last week.  Not bad, but definitely not going to pay the bills.

Anyway, God is taking care of things and we will be fine.  We drove by a house, but it just didn't feel completely right.  Not ruling it out, but not going to go jump on it. 

Anyway, I hope everyone has a great day!  May God Bless Your Socks off!  as my friend says. 

Love, L.

Some Time Ago

Tomorrow is July 24th, and 59 years ago tomorrow, God created one of the best presents I ever received.  What might you ask?  My husband.  We know that God sent us each other and had it planned way before we knew it. 

He is a very sweet, loving, and happy person, and he works very hard to take care of me.  I love him with all my heart, body and soul.  We are growing as Christians and as husband and wife.  I waited a long time for the right person to come along, and I prayed on April 19th, 2001, for God to send me a husband and a father for my daughter.  I asked for a Christian man that would be kind and loving and accepted us just the way we were, and he did.  We love each other unconditionally, and love doing things for each other.  There are some days he comes home from working out in the Texas heat and stands at the grill to cook dinner.  I try to do special things for him, like take him coffee in bed every once and a while.  We worked together for awhile and I loved it!  Thank you for all you do for me, for making me feel safe, secure and loved.

I wish you a very happy birthday!  I love you and I hope we have 50 more years together. 

Happy Birthday Honey!

Never Give Up

I was born in 1962 and as I grew up I never once thought I wouldn’t get married. As a child I had a weight problem, and it never really went away nor has it gone away today. I graduated from high school, and got a job. I went to a vocational school and took a job in Abilene, Texas. It was awesome! I turned 21 years old out there and although, I didn’t weigh any more than I do now, I felt like I was obese. I developed an eating disorder of sorts. It’s not something I’m proud of and I probably should have gotten professional help when I returned home to the Dallas area. I didn’t… and I’m not sure anyone even realized that it was an eating disorder. I mean everyone knew what anorexia was then, but it wasn’t something you talked about and I wasn’t anorexic. I starved myself, but I didn’t make myself throw up, not then anyway. I might have eaten one meal a day but most of the time I drank Coca Cola. I can truthfully say I’m a Coke addict, but it’s legal.

As time went by, I made friends and when we weren’t working, we were out drinking. It was also during this time, that I had female health issues and at one point was pretty much told I would not be able to have a child. Now they didn’t say I couldn’t get pregnant, just that I would not be able to have a child. That is another story in itself. Let’s just suffice it to say that I have a 24 year old daughter and God does work miracles.

Time to fast forward by the time I hit 35, I had been in several relationships, but nothing that felt right but something did happen that changed my life. I was obese by this time. My body fat was over 51%, I weighed in excess of 300 lbs and I couldn’t get in the floor and get up by myself. I made a decision that I have to live with for the rest of my life and that is okay, but it is in danger of being totally messed up. Again, that is another story or another chapter. In 2004, my insurance company agreed to pay for a gastric bypass. I found a hospital and we went through all the preliminary requirements and on October 23, 2003, I got a new stomach and a new beginning. As of today, I’ve lost 140 pounds because of this life changing surgery and I have no regrets. It gave me confidence, and a new attitude and I no longer thought of myself as overweight or ugly. Still I was unable to find the right person to spend the rest of my life with. I joined dating services, met people through friends, but nothing seemed to be right.

By now I’m over the 40 year mark I had pretty much given up hope of meeting the right person, so I thought I had to settle for something less than what I deserve. I met a man 25+ years my senior. We seemed to hit it off and being the trusting person I was, I became involved. I even went as far as to fly to Chino Valley, AZ and bring him and his mother back. Have you ever had that feeling in the pit of your stomach that you just need to turn around and walk away? I should have gotten right back on a plane and flown back to Texas. But what if this was my only chance to be married? Maybe I was just tired and what I was feeling was wrong? Always listen to your gut feeling or intuition or whatever you want to call it. He was a parasite. He did give me an engagement ring on Valentine’s Day in 2005. I promptly gave it back to him and told him to move a week before my birthday. I continued to lose weight from the surgery, but developed a binge purge kind of thing. The first sign of feeling too full and I would make myself go throw up. (This is not a good thing). Okay so let’s skip a little. I joined match.com but couldn’t break not seeing the parasite. I tried everything and then eventually, I told him, that it was killing me and that I couldn’t live sneaking around behind my family to see him. I knew it wasn’t right anyway, but I didn’t want to be alone. Okay so back to match.com. Up until July of 2005, when I was still seeing the parasite, I had gone out on a few dates, nothing serious. The only that happened with anyone serious during this time, was a wonderful man named Wayne, who I happened to be relocating for his company. We had wonderful conversations and had two majorly enjoyable dates. It was not meant to be though.

Okay In July of 2005, I went to Shreveport with a friend gambling one night, and on the way home, I actually had to let her drive. I couldn’t stay awake. It was the next few days that I got sick. I lost 12 pounds in two days, and almost passed out. I continually threw up. I had to go to the emergency room, but no one, not even, my doctor figured out what was wrong. A friend of mine finally suggested that it sounded like Mono. So I asked my doctor to test me and sure enough it was mono. Needless to say, the parasite gave it to me, but swears he didn’t have it. I had to contract it from somewhere. My doctor said that my case was severe enough that it had to be contracted. It took awhile and I actually wound up in the emergency room a second time from dehydration, before I began to bounce back. My membership with match.com was getting close to expiring and I had decided to cancel it at the end of the month. It was November now and winter was approaching and I would be alone during the holidays once again.

What happened next should never have happened. I kept asking God to send me someone. I actually asked him in April of 2001 for a husband and just so you know God does answer prayers but in His time, not ours. So let me get to the rest of the story. On November the 3rd of 2005, I received an email from match.com from a person who went by East Texas Hillbilly; however it came directly to my personal email with EarthLink. You see there is a built in security with email, that if I don’t know the person I have to approve them as an email address. They actually have to send a message to ask to email me. For some strange reason, he got the email from EarthLink and it actually displayed my email address and so he was able to bypass the security. It should never have happened, but I’m glad it did. We started exchanging emails and it was days of constant emails before I would even give him my phone number. He has this wonderful deep voice and all I could do was smile into the phone. I finally agreed to meet him in the afternoon on November 13th at a restaurant called Two Senoritas for coffee or tea or whatever. It’s funny, when I first saw him, I thought or he is not really my type, this will never work, but before our date was over, I was caught. He had already made me feel like the most important person in his world and he was fast becoming the most important person in mine. We seemed to know without a doubt that God had brought us together. The more we talked the more we discovered that we had been playing around in each other’s back yards for years and just didn’t know it.

It just seemed to be right when we were shopping in Wal-Mart one day to buy a set of wedding rings. He hadn’t proposed yet and although we talked about it jokingly, we hadn’t taken that step. We headed home and we stopped at his house to get a few things. This is December 19th 2005. We were all in the house, because my daughter was with us and she and I were playing around with the pool table. She headed towards the bathroom and suddenly, Norman was in front of me on both knees asking me to marry him. I started crying. Why? I mean we had just bought rings, but I hadn’t noticed that he had brought them in with him. My daughter witnessed the whole thing and of course I said yes…. Duh!!! It doesn’t take a sledge hammer for me to realize that God sent him to me.

We were married on March 31st of 2006 and it is hard to believe even today that I am married. God knew when the time was right and sent me the person I needed and sent me to the man who needed me. Yes we have had our problems, mostly because of work related issues and family, but I would never leave him. He was my gift from God and I thank Him every day for my husband.
So I guess my message to all those out there that might read this, never give up hope that God will send the right man to you. He will. It will just be on His time, now yours. Never lose hope or stop dreaming…God Bless.

My blogs

This notice is to let everyone know that I'm removing automatic emails from my blogging list.  If you want to continue to read it, you will need to sign up to follow the blog.  This is not to hurt anyone's feelings or because I'm mad at anyone.  I'm trying to be honest about my life, my recovery, and the way I feel about things and I think this is best so that no one is offended by what I might say.  (This maybe defeating the recovery program!)  Writing lets me get my emotions out and if I'm going to deal with my past and get past the hurts, and my addictions, then I need to write. 

May you be blessed by God abundantly... 

Just Life

Okay, I turned 48 on Monday and today, we are celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary. Life is good. We have a good church home, a place to live, food to eat, and currently we have work. Life is good, but God is Great!

I've had a sinus infection and ear infection since Saturday, and I'm finally feeling better. God is Awesome! My husband and I are planning on singing at church. We've picked out 4 songs and have been listening to all of them. The members at church, (by the way we go to Emory Baptist Church www.emorybaptist.org ) have been trying to get my husband, Norman, to join the choir. He does have a wonderful voice and sings harmony quite well. I'm still a little frightened about singing, but only because without someone to sing along with me, I can't keep the tune, unless it is in a bucket.

We will probably be moving in the next couple of months. We are praying that God will allow us to move back to my house in the orchard. I just want things to be simple again. I think they are on the way, and I'm praying that God will continue to show us signs that we are headed the right way.

Be Blessed! God is Awesome!

Love to all,
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.

Its Been A While

Life seems really distant these days. My dad went in to the hospital with pneumonia, and we lost him on February 8th. You never think about losing your parents, and the emotions that you go through until you do lose them. No one that still has their parents understands what you are going through, or what you feel. I know that my daddy is much better in heaven with Jesus, then in a bed in ICU struggling. I know that he is no longer in pain, but those he left behind are still experiencing pain and struggling with grief. I have my good days and then I have those that are bad. Sunday was such a day, and so is this afternoon. I want to hear him laugh. We will all survive and eventually it won't hurt as much as it does right now. I know that in my heart. My mom is very strong, and she calls to check on us girls. I guess you never stop being a parent, no matter how old your children are. You want to make the hurt go away. I do have many, many wonderful memories with my dad. We built a house together. We square danced together and I gave him a grand-daughter that thought of him as a dad. He walked me down the aisle at the age of 44 and gave permission for me to marry my husband. Then a little more than a year later, he walked my daughter down the aisle and I gave permission for her to marry her husband. Today, has been a little strange. I think about what has happened in the last six weeks and feel sometimes like time has been suspended and that things are not really what they seem to be, but then something happens and reality sinks in once more. One thing I know for sure, is that my daddy, our daddy, always believed in us and urged us to fulfill our dreams. He was always proud of us, and was never afraid to show us how much he loved us. There were plenty of hugs and kisses and tickles as we were growing up. I know my mom misses him and they had 51 years together, and one day we will all be together again. Love your parents, honor your parents, and tell them often how much they mean to you. You never know when time will run out and you lose that chance forever.

Funny How Things Look in Hindsight

It just seemed that all of 2009 was such a struggle and 2010 is off to a rough start. After I quit my profession of 24 years, I assumed (everyone knows what that means) that I would have no problems making money at home. My pride, would not let me think otherwise. (Pride goeth before the fall). I tried many things and finally accepted failure. I took a job at a local furniture store, making $500 every two weeks, and was angry because I had felt that society, family and friends had let me down. No one was at fault; it was my assumption that was the problem, that and my pride. I was afraid to ask anyone for help. I didn't want anyone to know that there was something I couldn't do. Of course, it didn't help that we couldn't afford to live in my house any longer either. We finally moved in with my daughter after I gave my dogs to new owners. This by far has been one of the hardest things I have ever done. I turned back to payer and to God, finally, devastated, frustrated, and miserable, lost and confused. Things became worse before they got better. In May of 2009, my husband blacked out behind the wheel. He is doing fine, but to this day we still don't know why or what happened. But God has brought us through that. I continually pray for guidance. I've been told that the bible says we just have to claim our promises, desires and needs, and God will deliver. I've kept a prayer journal off and on since November of 2008. In January of 2009, I had symptoms of a heart attack and because I felt like I had failed my husband, I went to the emergency room and didn't want my husband called. I had the retarded thought that he didn't really love me and that he didn't care. I was wrong, very wrong. We are each others soul mate. We didn't marry each other for one to take care of the other. We married each other because we fell in love. I prayed to God to help our marriage and to help my husband's faith to be stronger as well as mine. It seems that the more I prayed the more difficult things became, and still are at times. It is said that there isn't anything that God brings you to, that He doesn't bring you through. We have to trust and believe that God will take care of all our needs and see us through. Things for 2010 are going to be better. This year our lives will get back to some semblance of normal. I still plan to make a living with my computer. I want my house back and I've prayed for over a year. Today I received a call from someone offering to help. Of course, it comes at a cost, but I know God will take care of that if it is meant to be. We have a new church home and I'm learning to stop and pray when there are issues. I still get tired of waiting and I'm really ready for the trials and tribulations to go away. God will get us through this year. My husband and I know this and we know that we have each other no matter what and that God is always with us. May God Bless you all. L

Life of a Dog

Some days I wish life was as simple as that of one of my dogs. They sleep in a heated or cooled house depending on the season. They get breakfast & dinner served to them every day and are free to play as much as they want or as little as they want. They come and go as they please, fresh water, and a clean bed is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They have no laundry to do, no dishes to wash, no job to go to except one. There job on a daily basis is to bark at our neighbor I.W., the bloodhound at the yard in the back, the black/white cat that belongs to the neighbors across the street, and every large truck and siren in the town and that travels our street, oh and the red dog that just travels the neighborhood. As for as sisters go, they don't mind sharing their toys, and they like to play, but they will not and do not like to share their snacks or the attention that mom and dad give them. They love us unconditionally, and we love them. I can't imagine my life without one of them. Dixie, my cockerbeagle will be 10 in February. George, my not so miniature schnauzer will be 5 in August, and Sioux, my baby will be 4 in June. They are so excited to see us when we get home in the evenings or even after we have just run errands. They eagerly meet us at the door and want immediate attention. So for those of you who know me and my dogs, you know what I would and wouldn't do for them. They are and forever will be my babies. Here are pictures taken this week. Enjoy! Take care of your pets! They love you when no one else does.....

My Christmas Wish

My Christmas wish is not something that family and friends can necessarily fill. My Christmas wish is not something you can hold in your hand, it doesn't come in a box nor can it be placed under the tree. My Christmas wish is for both my husband and me. My Christmas wish is something only God can fulfill. My faith is strong and I know deep in my heart and soul that God hears my pleas and cries. I know He will answer in His time, but it is hard as the days go by not to be disappointed that my prayers have not been answered. Maybe God is trying to teach us a lesson. I'm not sure. So what is my Christmas wish? It is simple. My wish is that God show my husband and I where He wants us to be and what He wants us to do. My wish is that we do work that glorifies God and not so that we have to worry if we can pay the rent and the utilities and buy a few groceries. My wish is that we can help others prosper from doing that, but prosper not monetarily but spiritually. I know I probably didn't say that right, but hopefully you will know what I mean. I know that God will. My wish is that we can live our lives and not have to worry or stress and that we can be happy, and help others with the life that God has planned. Love, L

Too Much Thinking

Sometimes I think it is possible to think too much... Lately, I have been losing sleep because it is like my brain never shuts down. Impossible right? Wrong... I hate it when I have so much on my mind that I can't sleep. We all have troubles these days, and yes those keep me awake and worried, but I know that God is taking care of that... but lately, I've been thinking that maybe my life needs to be pointed towards a new direction. I've been telling my husband for a long time, that I would love to be able to try to live off the land, and live "green" instead of trying so hard to keep work coming in, and not having a place of our own. I know to go green, and be financially free, it takes money. Is that an oxymoron? Anyway, I would love to have a little farm or ranch, that would produce enough for us to have food, and money, and not have to worry. Is that possible? I'm not sure. Of course, if I could use my writing to help bring in the income that would be cool too. Does my husband share my same wish? He would like to be financially free, and able to work as a general contractor when he wanted too, and not because we have to have the money. Will we ever get there? I'm not sure, but it has made us both stop and re-examine our lives, and think more seriously about what we want our futures to be. Could we sell everything we don't have to have, and get up and walk away from the life we have now? I'm not sure. I would also love to be able to do more with the church. So have I been thinking too much???? Only God knows that, and God also knows what is in our hearts and what we need and what we want. God will take care of everything in His time, and not ours. We love our new church family. Is this the church we are suppose to be part of? God will let us know in time. God Bless each and everyone of you.

Three Questions

I have a friend who writes a blog called, "Striving for 31", http://www.strivingfor31.com/. She is the wife of a Baptist preacher in North Carolina. Her blogs are more, so much more than mine are and raise a lot of questions for me sometimes. Today or the last post I read was titled, "Getting to know you...". She asked 10 questions, three of which I left blank. The three questions that I didn't answer are as follows:

• What do you really want for Christmas?


• If you could ask God one question (anything goes) what would you ask Him?


• What inspires you?

Those three questions have stumped me. Normally I would have an answer flying from my fingertips to a key board, but this year has been so different, unusual, full of trials and tribulations and has made me step back and re-examine aspects of my life. I have no regrets about the decisions that I have made and that have brought me to this point. So I'm trying to answer these questions and I'm trying to be as truthful with myself and with you, my readers.

So here is one of the questions: What do I really want for Christmas?

This should be a fairly easy and simple question, but its not. I could ask for something frivolous like a bottle of perfume or some new clothes or a video game or a new DVD, but that is not what I really want. I guess deep down, I just want to be happy and healthy and I have both of those already. I love my husband and my family and I want for all of them to be happy, healthy, wealthy and wise. That is or would be an exceptional gift! It is a gift that only God can give and I ask that for them all.

As for the other two questions, what question would I ask God? That one will be addressed on the following blogspot: http://livingbythewordofGod.blogspot.com. What inspires me? I will address on this blogspot as soon as I write my answer. May God Bless each and everyone of you in the days to come, and may He fulfill all your needs, desires and wants... Love, L