Where Am I?

I'm over here!!



Starting afresh with a new beginning!! Stop by and visit (if you care to)!!

Beth

Home Again.....

I am home again and everything is finally back in its proper place. Took quite a bit of time to clean everything....dust from sawing, sanding.



But everything is back in its proper place, and I can finally sit and relax for a day.



I'm joining Peggy for Super Sunday with a song I love--sung at a conference I recently went to. This song speaks volumes to me. My hope is that you will sit back, enjoy, soak in His presence and feel His love for you.

Remember to go to the bottom of the page and silence the playlist!!




Always seeking and finding more and more,

Beth

Cleaning Up Begins....

And so the reconstruction begins!!

There is a huge dumpster taking up most of my driveway, and after cleaning up debris, glass, cinder blocks, ripping out what was left of walls that had been driven through....well, the dumpster is almost full!!

But, progress has been made....the debris is cleared, the bathroom is completely gutted.

My stove, washer and dryer, refrigerator, dining room furniture are now all in my living room so that work can begin on the bathroom and kitchen.

I'm doing okay with all of this...though there are those times that I just feel overwhelmed...and then there are a few tears.

But, we are here, alive and kicking...and that is the important issue in all of this.

My daughter took some pictures of the progress of renovation. But, since I'm using someone else's computer, I don't have access to them. If I figure out a way to share them with you, I'll post them because it is a sight to behold!!

In the meantime, I'm safe and sound at a friend's home who has made me feel completely welcome. Andrew is staying with his girl friend...and I'm not sure at this point whether he will be returning home or not. But, then again he will be 30 years old this month, and perhaps this is the time for him to move on.

Estimated time to renovate and reconstruct--the contractor told me yesterday--maximum of 5 weeks. So, again I patiently wait.

Beth

What a Way To Start The Day

So, yes it is true!! An SUV traveling down the road crashed through the front of my house on Thursday morning!!

Honestly, it sounded like an explosion was going off....Andrew and I both woke up (of course, we did!!) and shouted, "What was that?"

Andrew, his bedroom being closer to the house, walked to the front of my house and shouted, "There is a car in the house!!"

I'm not saying that the car just 'hit' the house, the car was 'in' the house--through the front outside wall, through the front room, through a cinder block wall and into the bathroom....

There is a great deal of damage....even into the kitchen.....but, we both are safe.....and that is the most important thing. The driver of the vehicle is also uninjured, for which we are thankful.

Insurance adjusters have come and gone....will be coming again. Hopefully, next week clean up can begin...and then major restoration is needed to be done before we can live there again.

For now, we both have a place to live...so, thankful for so many who have offered places to stay, help in whatever way they can.

I don't have any pictures because they are on my son's camera....but, if you're interested you can try looking on Channel 27--ABC. They were on the scene, interviewed my son.

The angels were watching over us that early morning. There are a lot of "what if's" running through my mind, and the ones I'm not thinking of, others are. I'm trying to clear my mind of all of these because the "what ifs" are not the reality of the situation.

Hope to be back soon--for now we both are safe and sound.

Beth

Wait

I walked outside this morning with my first cup of coffee. It is dark, yet I can still see the creek below me. Part of the creek has frozen this year--it is still and unmoving--yet I know there is water moving underneath the ice. The portion of the creek that is not frozen is lazy--just barely meandering its way along.

I am still, too. God has placed this patience within me while I wait.....

What am I waiting on?

Why am I waiting?

I used to wonder how my mother and grandmother knew that something was going on in my life that I had not told them. Did they have some kind of special sense? Or was I acting in a certain way that let them know that all was not well?

I've never come across the answer to the questions as to how they knew.

But, they did....and as a mother I've often found myself in that same situation.

And here I am again. I know, feel in the very heart of my being that something is going on with one of my children, and this adult child does not tell me.

At first, I felt anxious about this--wondering, waiting for this child to tell me what is troubling her. Perhaps I could offer some comfort, some sage advice, help her to sort out her feelings.

As I watched the creek this morning, yesterday morning and Sunday morning, I was filled with a sense of peace about this anxiety and wondering and know I am to wait....wait until she is ready to tell me.

I wish I felt the freedom to just go and say to her, "What's going on?"....but, I am to wait....moving slowly along like the middle of the creek....or perhaps stand in stillness as the edges of the creek.

Frozen--waiting--still--and all will be well says the Lord.

Beth

Sometimes It's Easy....

I'm still counting my blessings....on my way to finding joy and thankfulness....even when the hard and difficult times come.....thankful in every circumstance.

I've found that it's not quite so difficult to find blessings when things are quiet and comfortable. But, when the storms come it is sometimes not so easy to look and see beauty in this world that I can say I am thankful for.

That is when my journal comes into hand....looking back and seeing how God has always been faithful to me and knowing that He will remain faithful. He has never lied to me, never led me astray.

He is not the one who changes or lies or reneges on a promise. No, He is constant.

It is the world--sometimes me that changes and looks at this life from a view that is not God's view.

And, so I continue in my quest to attempt to view the world, myself and others as God does. For only He knows the total truth, the answer to every question, the ease and peace to every worry and anxiety.

#49 to 54

a granddaughter who makes me laugh and smile every time I see her--she is

great joy

my son who went grocery shopping for me (and bought everything on my list)

because I was tired and already had enough on my "to do" list

spontanteous laughter with several friends at church

yarn of many colors

listening prayer

healing of past wounds

Please visit Ann and perhaps you will find yourself starting to count your blessings along with her.

Beth

Book Review--Soulprint

I recently reviewed "Soulprint--Discovering Your Divine Destiny" by Mark Batterson.

This is definitely not a "self-help" book, but rather a "self-examination" book--an examination of yourself done by God--to discover your pros and cons; where will you do best in ministry, your occupation, your life in general.

Just as God has created each of us of unique individuals, we all have had unique experiences--which lead to our "soulprint"--the place where we are truly defined by our own highs and lows of life.

This is based on the story of David--going back to the slaying of Goliath--and how God had been preparing him for this "defining moment" in his life by having him shepherd and protect the flocks of sheep.

Overall, I found this book to be interesting and of great help to me. I have always questioned whether or not I am in the "right" place--the place where God wants me to be.

There are discussion questions at the end of the book to help lead you in recognizing and determining your own defining moments, and how these times in your life have and can lead you to where you will be most effective in pursuing God's destiny for you--you, yourself--no one else.

I have always felt that I have been "stuck" where I am occupation-wise. But, through this book I have learned that it is never too late to make a change--a change in the direction that God wants me to take.

Overall, I found this book to be interesting, well written, biblically-based, and a personal challenge. I would recommend this book to anyone--whether you are in the "searching mode" or not. You never know where God wants to lead you, and this book will help you follow Him in the direction He wants you to go.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Faith

Courtesy of Ben Steed, Heartlight

I'm joining Peggy today for "Super Sunday". It's very simple...just post a verse, a song, something that speaks to you.

Here's my video for today:

Have a wonderful Sunday!!

Beth