Why’d You Have to go and Make Things so Complicated

Do you ever wonder why people are afraid to pray in front of others? Do you notice it when you're out to eat with friends at a restaurant… do you play the "thumbs up" game to see who has to pray? Why don't we volunteer? What is it about speaking to our Savior that is so scary?

Is it us? Is it the people we're with? Do we think people are judging our words? Like what we say just isn't going to be good enough… Like we need to be the most eloquent of speakers for God to really hear us and listen? Or do we need to be eloquent for our friends to be o-so-impressed by us?

In the recent past, I rented You Can't Take it with You and was struck by the sincerity of the dinner prayers of the grandfather. He just talked to God:

Grandpa : [offering grace] Quiet, please, quiet! Well, sir, here we are again. We've had quite a time of it lately, but it seems that the worst of it is over. Course, the fireworks all blew up, but we can't very well blame that on you. Anyway, everything's turned out fine, as it usually does. Alice is going to marry Tony; Mr. Kirby, who's turned out to be a very good egg, sold us back our house - he'll probably forget all about big deals for a while. Nobody on our block has to move; and, with the right handling, I think we can even thaw out Mrs. Kirby here. We've all got our health; as far as anything else is concerned, we still leave that up to you. Thank you.

How incredibly simple is that!!

I hope you talk to God today. He wants to hear from you…

Wordless Wednesday

Be Joyful Always?

I always said that my verses I try to live by are 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Yesterday I failed miserably. I mean MISERABLY. Not that I'm ever perfect at it, but yesterday was the worst in a long time. You see, yesterday something happened that made me forget my joy. I forgot to pray. And I was most definitely not giving thanks. My whole perspective and life changed from trusting Christian girl to someone living in 'What If'.

I had the day off of work, so I tried to call my best friend to see if she had time to chat. She didn't pick up but called me back later. Here's how the conversation started… she asked me if I saw my e-mail and I told her I hadn't and she said, "well, I'm fine, but…". Now you know that is leading up to something. You see on Sunday, my BF was driving home to Iowa from a weekend in St. Louis (where she lived up until a month-ish ago). She had had a wedding shower and gotten to see some friends; well on the way back, her car hydroplaned. Then her car did some 360's. Then the rear of her car hit a rock wall. Then she flipped in the air. Then she landed upside down in a ditch.

She only lost her car… it would be a shock if it wasn't totaled, people had to dig around her through shattered glass to help her crawl out… she's only sore… with no broken bones… she didn't even lose a present from her shower. But for an hour or so… I lived in a place where I imagined losing my best friend (of 20+ years). For an hour or so, I cried. If I saw or talked to another friend, I lost it. And then I realized something. For an hour or so, I questioned God… I worried about losing my best friend and then I wondered something. If I had lost her? If that had happened? How would my view of God change in that moment? I allowed Satan to attack me in my moment of doubt. I didn't guard my heart against the attack of the enemy… and I was shaken. To my core I questioned. And then I heard that still small voice calling my name, and then I prayed. And there was peace. And then I could rejoice in the fact that my best friend was safe, and I could praise God for his faithfulness and thank him for her in my life…

I'm not saying I'm not still a little bit shaken, my faithful blog readers. But I am praising God today for the reminder of His sovereignty!

In Attempt

Wow, blog readers, you must be thinking there is something wrong with me. I mean three blogs in one week on three consecutive days? It's seemingly unheard of for this blog writer!!!

I'm trying to be more disciplined, I really am. Within my life and the things I do. I want to blog more often. I think part of the problem is that I feel like some of the things going on in my life are too personal and I don't know where to draw the blogging line. So I'm going to attempt. I literally checked and I have 7 different blogs queued up that I have started writing, and I need to finish/post them! I will… I mean it!! I really will!

You may have noticed yesterday that I started posting a Wordless Wednesday, and I intend to keep that up, but you and I all know that there will be weeks that only have Wordless Wednesday's!!

Bear with me, blogging friends, I'm attempting.

Wordless Wednesday

Touched Down in the Land of the Delta Blues

Saw the ghost of Elvis

On Union Avenue

Followed him up to the gates of Graceland

Then I watched him walk right through

Now security they did not see him

They just hovered 'round his tomb

But there's a pretty little thing

Waiting for the King

Down in the Jungle Room

Then I'm walking in Memphis

Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale

Walking in Memphis

But do I really feel the way I feel

Blog Hop: Fall

It has rained like CRAZY here in Tennessee. I don't know about you, or where you are reading this from, but we have had rain for weeks!! I know it's making everyone crazy, but now that it's finally stopping and the weather has hit that point of beautiful fall, I have been very much enjoying the leaves and all of the beautiful colors that God has given us. Here are a few pictures of nature that I've taken lately (although it's hard to choose favorites!) I hope you enjoy them too =o)

A puddle of leaves

berries turning color in the grass

crazy mushrooms from all the rain

fall through a peephole