Sisters everywhere.......

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother. As they talked about life, about marriage, about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter
'Don't forget your Sisters,' she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. 'They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, you are still going to need Sisters. Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them.'
'Remember that 'Sisters' means ALL the women... your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too. 'You'll need other women. Women always do.'
What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman thought. Haven't I just gotten married?
Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!'
But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact with her Sisters and made more women friends each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came to understand that her Mom really knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, Sisters are the mainstays of her life.
After more than 50 years of living in this world, here is what I've learned:
THIS SAYS IT ALL:
Time passes. Life happens. Distance separates. Children grow up. Jobs come and go. Love waxes and wanes. Men don't do what they're supposed to do. Hearts break. Parents die. Colleagues forget favors. Careers end.
BUT.........
Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girl friend is never farther away than needing her can reach.
When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end.
Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you...Or come in and carry you out.Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family, all bless our life!
The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I. When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other.
Every day, we need each other still.

It's Almost Vacation Time......

This was supposed to be the first year we took a vacation as a family and i must admit i am a little bummed because we could not go. Johnnie's work froze all leave so we were not able to leave as planned. So basically what we have to do is take two long weekends somewhere around here. I should not complain i guess it is better than nothing but i was really excited about getting to go away as a family. We are gonna go to lake city this weekend sun to Tues and visit some friends come back wed cause Johnnie has to work leave again on sun and stay through Tues. again at his parents. So two long weekends and that is it. When i started writing this we were gonna take long weekends but now as it turns out we don't get to go anywhere Johnnie's job has froze all he is gonna get one day off a week for the rest of the summer. OK a fresh outlook (it stinks) we so deserve a vacation, i am gonna stand in faith and believe that somehow before the kids go back to school that we will get a vacation. We really need it!!!!!

I wanna get lost in you.....

I have not been writing as much as i was time is so scarce these days and i feel like i am in a huge transition right now. Everything is changing so quickly. I feel so frustrated and disoriented. I feel like there is huge wedge between me and my hubby right now. Not that there really is but it feels like it. I recognize that we are both frustrated and don't know which way is up or down. I have not been very easy to get along with these days. This i know is very true. I want so much to find that inner strength that i know is in there. I used to be so strong and secure in who i was and what i was supposed to do. Experiencing what we did in Chicago and then coming home to the same mundane things has been hard. My mom said when you are used by God inevitable discouragement will try to creep in your doors. I fear i have let it in. I want to silence all the voices in my head but God's. I know what he said to me it is time to let go. I have been holding on to a position and a place that is not mine to have. Johnnie says that when you seek position only you will always be disappointed but i guess where i get confused is what are we supposed to chase after? Does the will of God mean no position or does it mean we seek only him and he will put us where he wants us? How do we get ahead?? What are we really supposed to be going after. My heart feels so heavy i have been renewing my mind every day and praying every time i take a breath. I will not sink in to a hole, has been my daily confession. But it is really hard when the man you love is poking his head back in his shell and you feel like it is your fault. I do trust him and i do trust God it is all the crazy people with more flesh than raw meat that i don't trust. It is such a scary thing when you have spent years of your life sacrificing for people without even knowing it. When all along it was really supposed to be for God. I have planted both feet on the ground and am standing firm not only for my self but for Johnnie to. We will succeed and fulfill every word ever spoken over our life. We will not shrink back no matter how out of place we feel or how overlooked it may seem. Our promises are yes and amen and god will be faithful to fulfill every one. He has called us and i know we need to make room for the place in our life. We have got to look ahead and stop allowing all that is spinning around us right now to detour what we know we heard. So devil if your listening ( which i know you are ) you can't have our destiny. We will be like Job and praise God through every roadblock, through every pain and hurt and trial. I will forever have his praise on my lips. God please forgive me for doubting what i know you said to me and allowing fear to overtake me causing me to be a stumbling block to the most important man in my life. I love you johnnie we are gonna do it i know we will.

Life is full of Suprises!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you have spent any time at all with me you know how much I love to be lazy on Saturday's:).. I love to watch movies and hate to do house work. This Saturday wasn't any different but i felt like writing. God is changing and growing me and my family so much. I have been searching and praying for myself to move out of the way and for him to shine through me. Just him and only him, while i know we are human i want more of him and less of me. Looking at this picture of Johnnie and Harry while it is quite amusing and somewhat of an inside joke. I am amazed at the friend Harry is to Johnnie. They have been friends for years, and i don't mean the kind that come and go. I mean the kind that stick. They can have a very loud discussion and not see eye to eye and in ten minutes walk away laughing. I wish i had that kind of friendship. I think with women it is different we are very emotional and tend to hold grudges. I love the women god has placed in my life. But are they really my true friends. I have been asking myself this and many other questions lately. Life is so short it seems sometimes. Watching your kids grow up while you look away for one minute. One week turns into one year and what have we really done with that year. I have really been pondering on my life and what it entails and what i feel like god wants from me. I so much want to please him and stand before him and hear "well done". Their are so many parts to me that i really don't like. I hate how people always turn things around and play off the fact that i tend to feel guilty over everything. I really don't like that. I want you to tell me the truth. If you just need me to do things for you and that is it. Tell me don't pretend your my friend and then your not. That is just childish and foolish. On a little bit lighter note these people have forced me to learn to rely solely on god and what he wants to do in my life, i am so thankful for him and my family. Without them i would be lost. I know that everything happens for a purpose so me rambling through this blog has helped me more than any counseling session;) I am sorry if this didn't make sense to anyone. But sometimes you just need to get it out.

The Sloans......

I spent three wonderful days with these girls and i miss them like crazy. Tara and Craig have done an amazing job with them. They are on fire bible breathing chitlins:) I am so proud to call them my nieces. Kaitlyn has an awesome powerful anointing in dance. Incredible!!!!!! She also is an amazing prayer warrior. When we were in Chicago i pulled her up to pray for a girl and she prayed until she broke. It was amazing to see her minister and flow. Kelsea has always been my baby, she stayed alot with us when she was little and now she is grown and doesn't talk as much as she did then her and Maya used to dance their hearts out to Mary Kate and Ashley movies. My how times have changed. Haley bug she is such a miracle born early she has always been a fighter, her and emry have always been buds. Being around her made me realize how alike they are. They are technology geniuses or they should be for all the time they spend with electronics. Lexi was a baby when they moved away but she acts like she has grown up with us she wanted me to help her do everything it was so much fun to be needed by her. And baby Izzy with the wild Gigi hair. What a precious angel she was she loved Johnnie so much she was a little skittish of me but was loving on me by the end of the weekend. Craig and Tara were awesome and flowing with them was so easy like we had been doing it all our lives. God is amazing at how he works things. It has been years since we seen them but we picked up like it was yesterday. I miss them and send them my love. I love you guys and can't wait to see you again soon. Can you tell i am missing family today you don't really realize how important people are until they are to far away to run down the street and see. There are so many people in my life that i cherish. I am thankful god has blessed us with family and such wonderful friends. Thank you for loving us and always being support and help all the time.