Yes to God Tuesdays - God Is With You

During this hectic, exhausting time of transition, I considered taking a blogging vacation, but I did not intend to disappear for 10 days between posts. For anyone still reading my blog through my chaotic posting schedule, thank you!

I'm getting back on track. Some posts about change, including When God Moves Your Cheese Part II, are forthcoming.

Now onto this awesome book by Lysa TerKeurst, What Happens When Women Walk in Faith, which I know God orchestrated me reading and sharing with others during this famine phase of unemployment. This week, we're discussing Chapter 6, God's Extraordinary Invitation, and Chapter 7, God is With You.

While focused on hearing God's direction for my life, I almost missed His invitation to draw closer to Him through this difficult time. While searching for the physical manifestation of His will, I almost overlooked the spiritual purpose as He calls me to trust and rest in Him on a deeper level.

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you." 1 Peter 5:7

The only way I can function through this trial is by seeking God's direction on what I need to accomplish each day. Otherwise, I am overwhelmed. Lysa put it well, "Don't try to make your whole dream come true at once. Just fulfill the small part of the mission He's asking you to do today."

Not easy for a person who loves to plan ahead while looking at big picture, but possible with God.

"I can live with my limited vision, convinced that there is no way and overcome with uncertainty in my time of famine, or I can take God's hand and confidently proclaim Him to be my way," Lysa says.

I pray I keep holding tightly to God's hand, as He is the only way.

Transition

No Safety Saturday post today. I'm considering a new format and plan to seek your input soon.

Although shutting off my brain is difficult these days, organizing my thoughts into insightful posts nears impossible. Bear with me!

I may try to structure myself. Any ideas? What do you do when everyday life interferes with blogging, writing, or any goal?

Blessings,

Yes to God Tuesdays - God Has a Plan

Yes to God Tuesday ended up on Wednesday this week, my apologies.

Chapter 3, God Has a Plan, of Lysa TerKeurst's book, What Happens When Women Walk in Faith, builds on the last chapter, and emphasizes "to leave some things behind, we need to learn that God has a plan and to trust His plan."

This chapter correlates to a recent sermon by my pastor, entitled When God Moves Your Cheese. To discuss God making changes in our lives, Pastor played on the words of the title of Spencer Johnson's motivational book about change, Who Moved My Cheese.

I found such comfort in the major points of Pastor's sermon:

• God's purpose supercedes our convenience.
• God moves at a sense of time operating by a different standard. Our timing is based in the past. God's timing is based on the future.
• The change is not a disruption to your journey. It is a continuation in the same direction/destiny in God.
• We may have a greater impact out of our comfort zone than within our comfort zone.
• God moves us to extend His reach and influence and to bring something out of us that will outlast us.
• When God moves, He moves us higher, wider, deeper, and better.
• We can never go wrong with God, even if we feel vulnerable.

Lysa writes giving up our plans for God's plan, the perfect plan, takes us to places we never imagined. My favorite sentence from Lysa's book is "Commit to leave your agenda behind, take God's hand, and hold on tight...the journey has just begun."

I'm holding on Lord. I trust your plan. I can't wait to see where you take me.

If God is moving your cheese, I'd love to hear about it.

Click on the button above to visit Lelia's blog or to participate in this study.

Then Sings My Soul Saturday - Live for Today

The reality of my impending job loss weighed heavy on me the past couple days. I'm most concerned about health insurance, due to my daughter's asthma and husband's diabetes, especially after learning the monthly COBRA payment is more than our mortgage.

Although I'm feeling "why is it this thing called life has got me goin' crazy," I choose to concentrate on these words

"You told me not to worry about what lies ahead, so I am gonna focus on today instead, making every moment count and counting every single blessing."

God is in control. I will take it day by day, and let Him handle the future.

Visit Signs, Miracles and Wonders to hear more great songs.

Safety Saturdays #19 - What To Do If You See A Lost Child

What Should You Do If You See A Child Who Appears Lost?

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) encourages people to be alert and report suspicious situations regarding missing and exploited children.

NCMEC teaches children to seek out low risk adults if they become separated from their parent or guardian and need assistance. These individuals are identified as a uniformed law-enforcement or security officer, a store salesperson wearing a nametag, an information booth emloyee wearing a nametag, or a mother with children.

But what if you’re a regular citizen? Use the tips noted below if you see a child who appears lost.

• Don’t be afraid to get involved.
• Comfort the child but use restraint in physically touching the child.
• If the child is able to speak, ask if they’re lost or where their mother/father is.
• Refrain from requesting too much personal information, since children are taught not to give out this information to people they don’t know.
• If you have a cellular phone, contact authorities and report the incident.
• Try to find someone nearby in a position of authority who can assist.
• Do not take the child far from the immediate location.
• Do not put the child in your car and drive off seeking help.
• Ask passers-by to assist.
• Wait with the child until help arrives.

The information above is reprinted from NCMEC's website.

If you have any questions or would like a particular topic covered in a future post, please let me know in comments or by email. If you are not familiar with blogging, you can still leave a comment below. Just click the anonymous button and type your comment in the text box provided.

Check out all the Safety Saturdays posts for more safety tips.

Yes to God Tuesdays

Chapter 2, A Line in the Sand, of Lysa TerKeurst's book, What Happens When Women Walk in Faith, encourages you to "leave the way you've always done life and start doing things differently with God." Click on the button above and visit Lelia's blog to learn more about this study.

Because the office where I work is closing at the end of the month, I am searching for a new job during a recession. In the past, these circumstances would cause stress and sleepless nights for me. With God, I have peace.

This transformation did not come naturally for me. I continue to work at it. When anxiety and fear creep into my spirit, I focus on God.

As Lysa said, "Experiencing life change is not a matter of chance, it's a matter of choice, choosing God's way instead of our own."

My faith is in what God can do."For I am about to do a brand-new thing. See I have already begun!" from Isaiah 43:19. I'm leaving behind fear and doubt. Let's see where God takes me.

Safety Saturdays #18 - Safety Rules for Grades K-6

The NetSmartz safety "rap" video below teaches kids (Grades K-6)
how to be safer offline.

View the Know My Rules for Safety video and other safety videos at NetSmartzKids.

When openly discussing safety issues with children, be calm and reassuring. Build the child's confidence. Do not focus on "stranger danger" because a child is more likely to be harmed by someone you or the child knows.

Safety Tips to Review with Children

1. Check first with parents, guardians or other trusted adults before going anywhere, accepting anything, helping someone, getting into a car, or leaving with anyone, including someone you know.
2. Take a friend with you when going places or playing outside.
3. Tell people "NO" if they try to cause you harm or you feel uncomfortable, scared, bad or confused, no matter who it is.
4. Tell a trusted adult if anything happens to you. It is never your fault.

To enhance safety information, practice what-if scenarios with children. For instance, you can reinforce checking first with a trusted adult with the following "what would you do if" situations:

1. A neighbor asks you to help bring in the groceries into their house
2. A man at the park asks you to help find his lost dog
3. A school friend's Dad asks you to get in his car
4. A teenager at the playground wants to give you candy

Visit the NetSmartz website to print a Knowing My Rules for Safety poster. You can also download or order the publication or a bookmark at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's website.

If you have any questions or would like a particular topic covered in a future post, please let me know in comments or by email. If you are not familiar with blogging, you can still leave a comment below. Just click the anonymous button and type your comment in the text box provided.

Check out all the Safety Saturdays posts for more safety tips.

Frosty Needs Sun?

Apparently, I should spend some time in the sun this weekend, unless I am in jail or red bumps spread across my body.

Last night, Pumpkin skipped through the house singing, "Frosty the Snowman is as white as my Mommy."

Yesterday, I pulled weeds in the yard until my husband opened the window to warn me, "I sprayed those with weed killer. You better get in here and wash your hands."

After scrubbing my hands and arms, small red bumps appeared on my forearms, as my hands swelled. Fortunately, benadryl spray halted the outbreak in a few hours.

Tuesday afternoon, I exclaimed, "Oh no, I'm in big trouble," upon remembering I had jury duty that morning.

I called the jury information line, entered my jury number and heard this recording, "You are a horrible citizen, who clearly does not care about our justice system. Obviously, you never really worked in law enforcement, and you are a BIG RULE BREAKER. Your failure to appear could land you in jail."

I felt like it said that instead of something about the court already mailing my failure to appear notice with a new service date and failure to appear being punishable by section BLAH BLAH of state law BLAH BLAH."

What a week! I'll use SPF 70 this weekend, since this is me

Have wonderful 4th of July!