A Fork in the Road

 When your life hands you a fork what do you do with it? That is not usually the saying, the saying usually is when life hands you lemons what do you do with them? Well we might not realize it but we might actually get more forks handed to us than lemons. Forks are those times in life when you have to make a decision and whether you choose left or you choose right neither one is wrong. Yet we can agonize for days over decisions like these. Weighing the pros and cons sometimes doesn't even make a difference. The more we try to fill up our fork hoping it will make the decision for us ultimately ends with us still having to make a decision. Even praying about it doesn't even bring more clarity because we serve a God that has given us a free will, and whatever decision we make, thanks to His Grace and Mercy, might not be a "right" or a "wrong" decision. Don't get me wrong there are definitely "Forks" that will alter your life but most of our decisions if we are doing our best to obey God and His Word will keep our focus on Him. So when you are handed one of these forks the only question to ask is  "will whatever decision I make continue to fulfill what I know God has called me to do?" If your answer is yes than go for it either decision will get you there. If your answer is no then say no and be at peace with it, another fork will come along soon enough. So when life hands you a fork what are you going to do with it? Celebrate fulfilling His calling on your life and all decisions will become much easier.

My Big Toe

    Frustration sets in when you are laid up and cannot walk. Two days ago I woke up with gout in my big toe, by the next afternoon it had spread to my ankle. I can't have this in my life right now!!!! I have too much to do!!! Where did this come from? Everything I read online and also speaking to my doctor helped me to realize I am on the right track. My new eating lifestyle is just causing toxins to be released into my body, that toxin just happens to be uric acid and has settled in the joint of my big toe. How can I turn this around for something good? Well I am thankful for my husband and children that are willing to serve and help around the house. I am thankful for my mother-in-law that brings me things like Cherries and cherry juice concentrate (which is great for healing gout).

   What can I learn or share with you about my lessons learned from gout? I know it sounds so stupid to think about finding a lesson in gout but I think I have it. Sharp, piercing, needle like crystal's forming in the joints causing extreme pain in whatever joint they form in. Then I realize that this uric acid came from inside of me, being released from where it was stored in the weight I am losing. I go and do something good for myself only to seem like it is getting worse. I am not giving up!!! This is the time to grit my teeth and bear through it.

    Do you ever have pain in your life when you feel like you are doing everything right? Sometimes that pain is caused from things that were in us whether recent or long ago. Limiting beliefs that when once we make changes start to manifest themselves in our lives. Too often we give up and tend to go back to our limiting beliefs. Well, God tells you in Rom.8:37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. The bible also tells us in this same chapter that if God is for us who can be against us? Amidst the pain don't give up!!! Keep believing!! Keep doing what you know is good for you and you will conquer it!!

    I hope something as ridiculous as me and my big toe will help you and the ("Sharp, piercing, needle like crystal's" that you might be experiencing in your life), be a great illustration to press on and don't give up. Eventually they will break apart and you will move ahead in life once again one "step" at a time.

A Reason to Celebrate 13 years!!!

It is amazing how one phone call can literally change your life forever. Sitting in the movies on June 5, 1999 getting ready to watch October Sky when the phone call came. Not realizing that we ( Me & Hubby) should answer it we chose to ignore it. Not once but twice!! The third call came and we guessed someone was trying to get ahold of us. Not even 5 minutes into our movie and we get interrupted. Although this interruption is the kind you want to get you when you have been hooking up to a dialysis machine for the last 18 months. My hubby came back into the theater after taking the call and says "Life link called and they have a kidney for you". Leaving the theater I called Life link and heard these wonderful words "it is a perfect match, you won the lottery on this one. The only way you get a match this good is if somebody is living related to you". I hung up the phone and knew this is it!!! I guess they say third times the charm, this was the third time. I had been called twice several months before and those did not work out ( that is for another blog).

Off I went to receive the gift that would free me from hooking up to a machine every night. On June 6th 1999 I received a kidney transplant. Every year has been a celebration of life since.Today marks my 13th celebration of life. Each year I celebrate, I thank God for the gift I was given. Then my focus changes to not only thankfulness for my gift but also thankfulness for the family that decided to give that gift amidst their loss and tragedy. My gift came from the family of an 18 year old boy who died from a gunshot wound to the head. What a sacrificial gift for them as a family to change the lives of others when they had just experienced a tragedy.

  I encourage everyone to become an organ donor. Because you never know whose life you will affect.Take the time daily to celebrate life because you never know what others might be going through. They might be struggling physically because they have to hook up to a dialysis machine everyday. Or they might have just lost their son tragically. Take the time to celebrate everyone around you. You never know how long you will have them.

Celebrate Giving

What do you have to give? I just finished reading the story of the widow who gave her last two coins she had left to her name in Luke 21 and Mark 12. It is kind of amusing to think that a simple story of only about three verses came from Jesus sitting back observing what was going on around him. He saw the rest of the people putting in out of their abundance but this one woman put in all she had. It wasn't  out of her abundance it was all she had to give.
   Lately I have been feeling I have nothing of any value to give. All I have is who I am, and in my eyes this is not much. Until this morning!, my daughter was wanting to give an offering to an orphanage in South America for special needs children. She said to me I don't have much to give when other people can give so much more. That was when I thought of this story and shared it with my daughter. Those special needs kids are not going to say "so and so gave $xxxx but this 19 year old college student only gave$xx!!" . They will just be thankful for more food on the table, maybe some new clothes, diaper changes more often etc. I told my daughter give what you have not what you don't have. But more importantly don't hold back just because you don't feel what you have is enough.
  I needed to take that lesson to heart!! I was teaching myself in the process. I need to allow God to use what I have to give and not try to give out of a "super woman" status. I hope this helps someone. All I can give is who I am!!!! What are your two coins to give? Be willing to give  who you are and others will notice!!! Besides this whole story came about because Jesus was sitting back observing what was going on around him. I want him to observe me giving all I am and not just out of my abundance.

#Celebrating Blogging!!!

Today I am celebrating blogs!!! Is there anything better than people writing what is on their heart? I have had such a struggle blogging. The more I talk to others that have blogs the more I see and hear that the struggle to blog on a daily or even a weekly basis is a constant battle. So, today I celebrate all of you bloggers out there that are taking the time to share your passions and wisdom.
    I celebrate Julianne Howell's blog http://julieannhowell.wordpress.com/ . Her insight and wisdom to authors out there is such a help. Her passion for life and the written word is reflected in everything she does.
    I celebrate Lauren Miller's blog Legally Lauren. Her biblical wisdom is beyond her years!!! She shares such insightful things from the bible. You really se her heart and that she has put alot of thought into what she writes as a Law Student, but more so as someone striving for God's best in her life.
    Today I celebrate all you bloggers out there!!! Never give up!!! People are blessed by what you write even if you think noone is reading.

Celebrating Health

A picture of lettuce? What does a picture of lettuce have to do with celebrating? Several weeks ago I posted a picture of lettuce on facebook only to be inundated with comments and posts as to how I got that from my backyard. Little did I know that that picture would begin a journey of Celebrating Health!!! MDH(My Dear Hubby) and I have embarked on a journey of becoming plant strong. This journey has led us to a renewd sense of health and wellness to enjoy more of life together. 14 pounds for me and 17 pounds for him!!! The weightloss is great but the health benefits are even better. Lower cholesterol, clear thinking, & overall healthy feeling. How are you Celebrating your health today? The choices we make everyday will determine our future. Do you have a "picture of lettuce" that will help you examine your life and take you on a journey to celebrate an area in your life that you would like to change? Be willing to go for it!! The benefits will "feel" great!!!!

Celebrating Home School!!!!

Homeschooling might not be for everyone, but it still needs to be a choice and an option that is looked upon as a viable option in America today. Lately we seem to see more and more of our rights slipping through our fingers. Yet with more government control there seems to be less cohesiveness in our society. People seem to have to work harder, pay more yet having less time with their families. This especially seems to be evident in our schools today, the minute the children hit the school grounds all rights to parents seem to be forfeited for 8 hours a day (have you ever calculated how many hours a day someone else is influencing your children). In light of the "I (teacher) am going to give you a better lunch than your mother packed for you because I know what is better for you than the woman who God entrusted you with because I have the title of a unionized teacher" instance in North Carolina. Has really got me thinking about the options parents have for educating their children. Yes I am a homeschool mom but I am not so dogmatic that I don't think that more options should be available for parents. There are Charter schools (which the teachers unions would like to see gone also). There are virtual schools, private schools. There is even an awesome program that can give you the best of both worlds called Classical Conversations, where you can homeschool 4 days a week and get together 1 day a week with others doing the same thing as you. Homeschoolers also have the option of being involved in great co-ops where classes are available several days a week in all kinds of subjects. There are homeschool moms that are seasoned in what they do, that simply asking for help and how they did it could get you on a path of family togetherness once again. Is homeschool for everyone? I don't know, but let it be an option!!!! Besides you will be able to pick what they eat for lunch (and so much more)!!!!!!