Just Beachy!!

There's been a little bit of a delay in the Beach construction project! I had a house full of guests this past week; my dad came up from SC, and Tyler, Kelly and Michael were all here! It was nice having a full house again...it sure is quiet now though! (Except for the fire crackers going off non-stop!)

As I continued digging up the sod, I discovered yet another treasure! This time, not a bottle, but a silver spoon! I'm thinking, just one step closer to that hidden treasure that's waiting for me!!

This excavating by hand is definitely hard work but well worth the muscles that I'm developing in my arms and abs!! I even beat Ashley at arm wrestling! There are pics to prove it, but, well, I'm a nice mom and I wouldn't want to embarrass her too badly!!! Boosted my ego a little, I must admit though! lol

The day before yesterday, when I saw the forecast for the 4th of July I just had to get this project moving!! What a great way to spend the weekend---at my very own backyard beach!! So I called the number I had from Craig's List for the beach sand and scheduled a delivery date! That'll get me motivated!!! It was to be delivered the next day! Time to get moving!!

BEACH CONSTRUCTION - Day 2

SONS are wonderful!!! Especially when they surprise you! I came home from work at 1:30 this morning to a much bigger pile of sod!!! Which could only mean one thing!!! Someone's been digging in my yard and it wasn't me!!! lol

And the neighbor is going to fix the tire on my wheelbarrow so we seeing great progress!!

BEACH CONSTRUCTION -Day 1

Day 1 - Began removing the sod today! It's taking a little longer than planned as the wheelbarrow decided to get a flat tire, hence, the pile of dirt you see! At first I was really frustrated, not only did I think I would have to go get the tire repaired, but then there would be the added work of shoveling the dirt back into the wheelbarrow to be moved to the appropriate spot! Ughhh! Then, I had a revelation!! The back part of my yard is sloped slightly so that when it rains, my yard fills with water all the way to the clothesline pole that you see in the center of the yard. So, landscaping expert that I am, had been wondering where I could get some fill dirt, for free, of course, (who wants to pay for dirt, right? Beach sand is different, justifably so!) And now, that "thorn" of a wheelbarrow, provided me with the idea of raking the dirt into the back part of the yard, thus preventing the flooding!! While I will still have some unintended extra work to do, it will be serving a great purpose!! It's all in one's perspective!!

The weather has been cooperating perfectly too! It rains, the ground is soft and easier to dig up and the temps are cool! God is good all the time!!

I even uncovered a "treasure", of sorts, while I was digging! It's a really neat looking bottle to add to my collection of others! Perhaps, as I continue to create my "little island in the city" (hee hee!) I will come across a real buried treasure!! It can't hurt to dream! It's quite possible that a rich dutchman, from long ago, buried a bag of gold coins in a pair of wooden shoes in my backyard and forgot to take them with him when he left! Anything's possible!

Coffee Pops!!!

Mmmmmmm.....Coffee!! One of my favorite things!! Hot, cold, frozen, flavored, coffee-flavored ice cream, candy, so.....why not "gourmet" coffee pops!!

Since I absolutely love the "new" Caramel Frappes at McDonald's, I decided that would be my first "recipe"!! A little sugar, a little cream, a fair amount of caramel syrup, STIR, and pour into the my old Tupperware popcicle molds!! Ta Da!!! Coffee pops!!!

Just think of the different variations that are possible??!!! ENJOY!!

Dusting and Dumping

Dusting and dumping, in a nutshell, describes my second job...I am cleaning offices for a corporate office in Holland. I've been there since March and this will also be my full-time summer job! I wouldn't recommend working 70-75 hours a week, but I couldn't risk being without employment during the summer months! So, as exhausting as it is, I am counting my blessings and am very thankful that God has provided, yet again!!

Besides the incredible amount of fun that dusting offices, window sills, can lighting, and dumping approx. 3oo trash buckets nightly (well, we alternate jobs every other night), the downside is that it gives a person way too much time to think!!

In March, I started out great! Great attitude, life was going smoothly, and I was using my "alone time", as I worked, to pray for family and friends while I cleaned!! It was awesome! But as exhaustion sets in, so does negativity and resentment! Satan is really good at getting us when we're weak.

My "prayer time" has done a complete "360", and instead of praising and thanking God for all His blessings and interceding for family and friends, I began throwing myself the biggest pity party you've ever been invited to!! Blame, criticism, and synicism have crept in and for about the past 3 weeks I've gone from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other; sometimes all in one night!! I find myself resentful, sad, angry, happy, excited, lonely, and wondering what on earth is wrong with me?!! Am I becoming premenopausal (that sounds like fun!!) or am I just plain exhausted, emotionally and physically? One minute I'm in the valley, the next on the mountaintop! Or have I fallen into the trap that Satan has set for me in this time of weakness?

This is not at all what God wants for His children. He commands us to be content "whatever the circumstances"! Thankfully, He is a loving God, and He does understand what I'm going through.

I asked God to help me get control of my emotions and to help me stay focused on His promises and the many blessings He lavishes on me each and everyday.

My devotions this morning said, "God's standard is to live moment by moment victory!" Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ". 1 Cor.15:57

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us." Romans 8:37

I cannot have this victorious life in my own strength. The secret of living victoriously is in the power of the victory provided by Christ. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 1John 5:4

It is time to quit fighting my battle with worry, stress, self-pity and criticism! It is time to dust off the dirt and dump the garbage of this sin in my life with the rest of the trash!! Time to commit my failures and defeats to Him, who is Christ, my Lord, and allow Him to claim the victory that is HIS!!!

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him." 2 Cor. 2:14

Thank you, Father, that your mercies are new every morning! I am in desperate need of your mercy and grace right now. I praise and thank you that you hear me and know exactly what I need, even before I ask. In Jesus' precious and holy Name I pray, Amen.

Without A Doubt

There's nothing more thrilling than waking up in the morning with a cup of steaming hot coffee and then, before you begin your morning devotions, you ask God to show you "what is it Lord that you want me to know today, or learn today? Please open my heart and mind so I can hear You", AND HE DOES!!! Only not half-way into it, but the minute you thumb through the pages of your Bible and you stop on a page that HE UNDOUBTEDLY turned you too!!

Yesterday, as a lot of you know, was my birthday! Thank you everyone for all of the wonderful birthday wishes! But, yesterday was also the birthdate of two special boys that we met at the school in Kanuwloe, Ghana; their names are Ebenezer and Wisdom.

One day, toward the end of our time with kids, we decided to have them make prayer cards where they would write their names and birthdates on one side, and the verse from Eph. 1:16. I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, on the other. We wanted the kids to know that even though we would be thousands of miles away, we would not forget them or stop praying for them. Then, we took their pictures, with them holding their prayer cards, so we could have a face to put with a name when we returned home. For me, this was so important. I didn't want them to become just a sea of faces in my memory as time passed.

Anyway, back to my prayer!! When I opened my Bible, the page that I opened to (I have a devotional Bible) was a devotional page entitled "A Stone Called Ebenezer"!! I believe God was reminding me of Ebenezer and Wisdom, and that it was their birthday too, and not to forget to pray for them!! What a great gift! But it gets better!!!

Some of you know the financial indebtedness I am currently faced with and in light of that I have been clinging to the knowledge that God is my ultimate Provider and not to worry. I have been holding tight to His promises, and one verse in particular, from Phil.4:19 "And God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus". (I even have it taped to my bathroom mirror) So, as I continue on with my devotions, what do suppose it says??!!! Allow me to quote it to you....After the Israelites had defeated the Philistines, they planted a stone and called it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the Lord has helped us." As we look into the unknown future, with no clear path before us, we may become fearful. But God has provided for our future. Paul wrote, "And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

I pray you can see, as God was showing me, how present He is in our lives! And how, when we spend time with Him in prayer and in His Word, He truly does speak to us!! We only need to take the time to listen in the busyness of our lives. For we are not alone in this world, God is there every step of the way, He even goes before us, so why wouldn't we want to follow Him, with the knowledge that He will take care of EVERYTHING!! Even the seemingly impossible!

Sometimes He takes us out of the situations, problems or needs; other times He takes us through them. Regardless of the way He works in our lives, we can trust Him as our ever-present guide for today!

Thank You, Father, for loving me and taking care of me, and most especially for showing me that You are right beside me, WITHOUT A DOUBT!! Amen!

Amazing Grace

For me, one of the most difficult things to accept is the gift of grace, or any gift that is given out of love and concern, rather than a date on the calendar. Perhaps because it's unexpected, or perhaps because I have never felt adequate or worthy of receiving such gifts.

Given the circumstances I have been living with, and desperately trusting God to get me through, I find myself clinging to the verse, "And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:19 It gives me hope and peace when I am able to lean on Him in all things, knowing that in my own strength and resources I am helpless to accomplish all that is before me.

I find myself daily being uplifted by family and friends, offering wise counsel that had never crossed my mind, as well as encouragement. (thought I had it all figured out by myself! lol) But when a dear friend said to me, "nothing in our lives is wasted...not our mistakes, nor our struggles", it became crystal clear that God was speaking to me through her words. "Laurie, I know what you're going through, just trust Me." I felt such relief! Yes, I am going to mess up, yes, I am going to make bad decisions sometimes, but God is always going to be there to pick me up and put me back on the right path, showing me through His Word, or through His people.

And speaking of His people...I have also learned in the past week that we never know who these people will be! That is the Amazing Grace I am speaking of! In the past 7 days I have been shown indescribable grace from people I am merely acquaintances with. They are the hands and feet of Jesus and I wish I could find words to adequately express the deep appreciation for the kindnesses they have shown me. This side of heaven, there are none; only the ache in my heart that comes from the joy of knowing Jesus is showing me His glorious riches. I pray He will allow me ample opportunity to show the same compassion to others, so that they may experience the great depth of His love.